No Room At The Inn

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  And everyone went to his own town to register.  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.       (Luke 2:1-7)

When I read these familiar verses from the first Christmas, I picture a weary Joseph going door to door in a busy, bustling metropolis, desperately seeking shelter for Mary, who is about to give birth.  I picture innkeeper after innkeeper rudely slamming doors and denying them refuge, and thinking to myself:  If they only knew Who they were denying!

But is this accurate?  More likely my visual picture is based on the tradition of Western Nativity scenes than on the reality in that little town on the first Christmas so long ago.

Ancient Bethlehem almost surely was a little town - it has been estimated its population may have been as small as 300 people.  With the census decreed by Caeser Agustus, that number would have swelled considerably.  Because of the size of the town and the hospitality customs of the day, Bethlehem may have had only one inn, if any at all.  Low supply of lodgings combined with high demand could have meant there was no place for Mary and Joseph because there was simply no room available.

 Or could the reality of their situation actually have been harsher?

Bethlehem was Joseph's "own town", his ancestral home.  In all likelihood, he still had relatives there.  I wonder if Joseph knocked on door after door, only to have cousin after cousin turn their backs on him.  Some may have made a lame excuse, while others may have made it clear their refusal was because of his young, heavily pregnant fiancee.  From all appearances, they had violated God's law.  To invite them in with open arms might bring shame upon the whole household.

I suppose we are not privy to those types of details because why He was born in a stable and not a warm room (at the inn or otherwise) is not as important as the fact that

"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us."

This little baby, God come down, was born in a stable - most likely a dark, dirty cave filled with animal dung - because there was no room at the inn.  The Gospel writer John tells us,

He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right

to become children of God.   (John 1:11, 12)

Thousands of years ago He came to His own and they did not receive Him.  How often is that the attitude of my heart?  How often have I been like those people in Bethlehem who had no room for Him?  I am a child of His; yet even so I find there are places in my life where He wants to be received and I too am guilty of having "no room".

Surely I know from experience that when I do allow Him into the dark places of my life, He shines light and makes His home there.  Just as He chose to be born in that dirty stable, He still chooses to be born in the dirty, dark places of our hearts.  It is the first and greatest Christmas gift - one that cost Him everything and keeps on giving for all eternity.  

Could we possibly want anything else for Christmas?

In Him is life, and that life is the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness...

Prayer:  Thank you Father that you chose to come and dwell among us so that we might dwell with you eternally.  Forgive me for those times when I have acted like there was "no room".  Give me grace to receive you into every area of my life.  Amen.