….have you ever really let those words sink in?
Luke 2:7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
Some translations have no room in the inn…the greek word also denotes quest room….but how could that be? Remember they were going back “home” they were traveling back to be counted in the census and Joseph was part of the family tree that had King David, the line, Jesus would come from….surely they would have family they could go to, or did they? I mean the silence was probably deafening. Wonder if they did knock on family doors…remember Mary and Joseph left town, they were nestled down in Nazareth, some may have not seen them until now…and wow,
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK
”why Mary, Joseph how have you been! it is great to see …. you have uh grown, your pregn….but your time of seperation is not uh….this was not supposed to be…..OH NO!” door slammed
Could that have happened? I know the town of Bethlehem would have had unusually high numbers of people coming back to be counted, and yes the local places for lodging would have been tight, but no room, really? come on! This was David’s town man!….no hey Joseph shhh come on in….
did they just “sneak” in a room or did someone finally through whispers “psssst, pssst, psssst…hey Joseph over here….shhhhh…you guys bed down here…..sshhhhh…come on no one will find you here….you need anything? Mary you ok? man you guys look beat”
Maybe the room they were speaking of wasn’t physical room, but room in the heart. Oh im sure by now talk was all over that Mary and Joseph “thought” they were giving birth to the messiah, heck even if Elizabeth and Zechariah could have showed up to “vouch” for em…but we know most would have given that high eyebrow, eyes wide open of “yall are a bit whacko, I’ll catch you later” look.
Which one would we be? I’m finding the more HE penetrates my heart, the more room for others is made…I’m thankful for a people that is making room in their heart for me and my family
Saturday (5:00 pm Siegel High) we will CELEBRATE together through a candlelit service that will fill the room with song, prayer, and communion