No Room - Losing Focus During The Holidays

No Room!

Christmas had come – by that I mean the real meaning of this season we celebrate had arrived. The Kingdom of God showed up at the door. What door? The Inn-keeper’s door. We don’t know too much about this Inn-keeper in Scripture; only that he informed Mary (the mother of Jesus) and Joseph (Mary’s husband) that there was “No Room” at the Inn.

The most important guest (ever) to arrive at an inn (throughout all history) arrived at Bethlehem Inn only to be told by the manager “No Room”. Isn’t that the tragedy of our day? So many of us have said the same thing in one way or another “No Room for you God”. And especially during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, commercialism, gift giving, tradition and religion has taken the place of the real meaning of the season. The order of the day in regards to Christ is “Sorry, No Room For You”. I pray this does not describe you.

Imagine how traumatic this must have been for Mary. How do you think Joseph felt – unable to provide shelter for his wife as she is about to give birth? Who wants to be in that position? We would say “There’s no way God’s hand is in all this”. In fact, this was God’s plan. Remember now, It was God that ordered it so through providence. It was His will that Joseph take Mary into Judea, the city of David in order for prophecy to be fulfilled:

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,  who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me  one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days                     (Micah 5:2).

God’s ways are not our ways. Such a difficult time for the young couple, yet this was the plan for God’s entry into His world. Amazing! Makes me wonder about the trials I am presently facing. There are times in your life when you will experience pain, suffering, even hardship. Consider this all part of the plan. Mary’s predicament was all part of God’s plan for the benefit of all mankind.

There was no midwife to help Mary. No fancy hotel, not even a room in a house, no friends to bunk with, and no family to support her. Still, Mary, with her own hands:

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn                                       (Luke 2:7).

This was such a sad occasion, but still the most glorious event! The birth of the Savior of the world.

So our Inn-keeper turned them away. Nothing like looking forward to checking into that room you booked only to have the attendant say “Sorry, No Room!”

Our Inn-keeper turned them away and missed Christmas. Christmas came at his door and he missed it! How comes? Was he that busy that he could not have compassion on a pregnant woman? Was Mary showing? If she was, can we consider him as insensitive? Can’t say. All we know is that his role in all of scripture was to turn Mary and Joseph away. So sad. You know, many times we miss the move of God upon our lives just like the Inn-keeper. We are too busy, too preoccupied, too much in relationships, too committed to the job, too bound up by sin and the world. When Jesus comes knocking at our door, is our answer “No Room”?

Our Inn-keeper missed Christmas. Christmas went on to happen in his backyard, somewhere in Bethlehem and he went on with business as usual. I pray you don’t miss Jesus during this time of year.

Blessings!

References:

Adapted from “The People Who Missed Christmas”. John Macarthur: https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B121210

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Written By Kevin A. Hall       12.24.2017