December 13, 2007

Inn Keeper, Serving the Savior

Luke 2:4-7 (HCSB) ⁴ And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, ⁵ to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the inn.

I believe the Inn Keeper is the most misunderstood character of the Christmas story. First of all, there is no Inn Keeper in the Christmas story. Really. Read the passage again. NO Inn Keeper. There is simply a statement that there was “no room for them at the inn.” Most of the stories we hear about the Inn Keeper is that he was a mean bully who harshly turned Mary and Joseph away, and reluctantly let them stay in the stable.

I like to think differently. Since we are making up a character, I figure, let’s think the best of this fictional guy. I say, the Inn Keeper made room for Jesus! There was not room inside, so he worked it out. He took the time to find a place for Mary to have her baby.

Now the hard question. Do we make room for Jesus in our lives? Sometimes our lives are full and we turn Him away. Sometimes we accommodate Him. We make room. Sometimes we barely accommodate Him. Certainly, we should welcome Him with open arms. We should make room for him in the inn, not in the barn out back!

Pray: Dear God, help me to give Jesus the best room in my life. Amen.

Sing: “Away in a Manger”