Be Still, Advent Day 15: Prepare Him Room

Let all things be done decently and in order, 1 Corinthians 14:40

Before the gatherings, before the gifts are unwrapped before the heavy coats fill the closets—there is work to do. Not frantic or rushed, but intentional and deep. This is the season to release the things that no longer serve—those cluttered corners and overflowing drawers. Cleaning the pantry is more than a task; it’s symbolic of making room for the Bread of Life. When we clear out the closets, it’s like sweeping away distractions so that love can flow unhindered.

Jesus Himself modeled this in the temple:
“And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, ‘It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer.’” (Luke 19:45-46)
Even the temple needed decluttering, purging the unnecessary to become the sacred space it was meant to be.

Let these days before Christmas be your gift to yourself—time to clear the pantry, the closets, the mental and physical clutter. Create space for the sacred and the still. This is not about perfection but preparation, not about appearances but peace.

As the air turns cold, and the days before Christmas whisper like soft snow falling: Prepare Him room. But here we are, hemmed in by walls, surrounded by stacks of stuff. The pantry door barely closes. The closets? Stuffed with more “just-in-case” than peace. And the thought of finding space for coats, guests, and Christmas cheer? Well, it might just have you breathing into a paper bag.

These days before Christmas are not just countdowns—they are invitations. Time to clear the clutter. Time to let the excess go. Time to make space for the gifts you actually want: peace, calm, joy.

This is not about perfection—it’s about making space for peace to enter. Because God is the One who ordered the stars and smoothed the sea. And when we follow His lead, bringing a little order to our lives, doesn’t it feel like breathing room for the soul?

God even asked His people to clear their spaces before His glory could dwell.
“Take away the defiling thing from among you.” (Ezekiel 20:7)
No, I’m not saying your junk drawer is defiling anything, but I am saying that clearing out what’s not needed makes room for what’s holy. And really, do we need that old mismatched Tupperware lid still lurking in the cabinet?

And the pantry — isn’t this the tabernacle of the home? The place we store what sustains us? So maybe it’s time to let go of the stale, the expired, the forgotten. Let the Bread of Life remind us that making room is not about loss but about readiness.

“Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that, build your house.” (Proverbs 24:27)

This is wisdom in action: a little preparation now saves the chaos later. The coats and cookies and caroling will come. But first? We prepare. We make space. Even the holiest spaces sometimes need a refresh. Even the pantry. Even the closets. Even our hearts.

And let’s not forget this reminder:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” (Matthew 6:19-20)
The more we hold onto, the harder it is to hold what matters. And isn’t that what we want this Christmas? To hold what matters—peace, laughter, love, Him.

So start small. One drawer. One shelf. One moment of holy decluttering. Not because you have to but because you get to.
“And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.” (Isaiah 40:5)
When we make space, even in the smallest ways, joy comes to fill the gaps.

You don’t need a perfect home to celebrate a perfect Savior. You need a little room. For the coats, yes. For the cookies, sure. But mostly? For Him.

So, pick a corner. Clear a drawer. Maybe you’ll even find the scissors you lost last month. And when the clutter’s gone, what’s left is peace—and the promise of a joy-filled season.