No Vacancy at the Inn

Luke 2:7 says, "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." What sad words, "there was no place for them in the inn."

Many years ago we took a road trip with our two young sons, without hotel reservations. It was not the wisest decision we ever made. This was before cell phones and, unknown to us, it was Parents Weekend with a home football game in Lynchburg, Virginia. All hotels in towns anywhere near Liberty University had "No Vacancy" signs. If they displayed no sign, my husband went inside to check and quickly returned dejected. 

Our youngest son who was not yet reading learned to read two words that night. With each stop we made, he kept repeating over and over from the back seat, "no vacancy..no vacancy..no vacancy". 

We drove hours past our intended destination. Exhausted and after midnight, our little family finally found a motel with an available  room. Our journey that day and night gave me a small glimpse of what Joseph and Mary must have experienced that long ago night. 

Joseph was required to travel to Bethlehem to register for taxes to Caesar with his promised bride-to-be. Mary was young and very pregnant with the Christ child. Their mode of travel wasn't a car, it was walking and a donkey.

When they reached their destination, they were met with the same words as us, "No vacancy!"  Unlike us, they had no option to keep traveling until a suitable place was found. The time for the birth of the Christ-child was upon them. 

In contrast, we finally found a room with comfortable beds, clean sheets and pillows. All that was available to Joseph and Mary was a stable, feed troughs, hay, and smelly animals as roommates. This was the place the Creator of all, and the Savior of all who believe, was to be born? How strange, yet how perfectly it represents Jesus' humility here on earth. 

This Christmas, please make room for Jesus. He should be, after all, why we celebrate. He offers a place of peace and rest, forgiveness and freedom from the bondage of our sins. It' a free gift to all who believe in Him. It is the great exchange. He takes our sin and guilt before a Holy God, bears the penalty in our place with His death on the cross. We are declared blameless and will have eternal life in heaven with Him when our time on earth is done. 

If you don't know Jesus or haven't accepted His free gift..please make room in your heart for Him today! "Jesus said, "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." - Luke 19:10

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Laney's Musings