Why do the lyrics to Joy to the World include a line about every heart preparing room for the King of the world? I believe an appropriate response to this question is creatures who recognize we are subject to our King, cannot help but praise the One who came to tabernacle among his people. This Word of God, Jesus, dwelt among us by taking on human flesh (John 1:14). He is God and was there in the beginning when the heavens and earth were created (John 1:1, Genesis 1:1). He is God, the first source, the author of all things. All things were made through him (John 1:3). We celebrate, especially at Christmas, that Jesus took on flesh, but he has always existed. He was in the beginning with God because he is God, he has always been, he is I Am (John 1:2, John 8:58). A renewed heart cannot help but give praise to this personal God, and a new creation wants to prepare room for this King because He is our Maker. We come from him. It would not make sense to prepare our hearts for anyone or anything else because we belong body and soul to God.
My oldest son has the coolest log cabin themed room. He wanted a loft bed for his room, so we ordered a wooden one that required a good bit of assembly. To construct the bed, I used the instructions that came from the manufacturer of the bed. It would not have made sense to use instructions on the assembly of a bed from another company.
Jeremiah 1, Psalm 139, Ephesians 1, and 2 Timothy 1 tell us about our assembly as humans and our great manufacturer, God.
God says to Jeremiah (and to us) in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you.” Before God formed and fashioned us in our mother’s womb, we were a thought of his, known to him, known by him. David sings this truth of being known by God in Psalm 139. David declares God formed our inward parts, he knitted us together in our mother’s womb (v.13). God’s intricate design of humanity took place in the secret depths of the earth and results in our praise of him (v.14-15). God chose us in him and he knew us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). He saved us and gave us his own purpose and grace in Christ Jesus before the ages began (2 Timothy 1:9). Before time as we know it, we were a thought of the Maker of the universe who came into redemptive history by becoming a man himself to live a perfect life we are incapable of living and to die a death we deserve and to take on his own righteous wrath that we will never experience if we are in Christ because he took the wrath himself on the cross and knew he would take the punishment for us as he laid in the manger. What a marvelous God! I am unworthy of my Manufacturer’s love, yet before the foundations of the earth, he knew his people and placed his love on his people. Everything he does is for his glory and for the good of his redeemed. Preparing room in my heart for this God as his creature is the least I can do. And because of what he has done for me, taking me out of darkness and bringing me into his light, I cannot help but make room for him in my heart. I want nothing else but him.
I open my mouth and pant because I long for you, Jesus, the Word of God (Psalm 119:131).
May our hearts beat and our mouths pant for the One who is and who is to come! Merry Christmas!