No Room In the Inn

It is now after midnight and I am sitting down for the umpteenth time at my computer. Whatever did we do before we were able to Google to find our answers? "Can you store baked potatoes in aluminum foil in the refrigerator?" No, you need to put them in a ziplock bag – fine! "How do you arrange 1 dozen roses in a rose bowl that was made for 2 dozen roses?" Go to Youtube and watch a video. Oh, wait they are using 2 dozen roses. Okay, plan “R” - You go outside to the holly bush (yes, it is after 10 p.m.) and pray that as you cut the stems off the holly bush you don’t cut the string beautiful blinking lights woven with great care – okay, check! Four pies made – check! Tablecloth on dining table – check! Napkins out and semi-folded – where are those blasted napkin rings? Great!! the dishes I wanted to use are in storage – possibly could use chargers and white plates instead – no wait, I’m serving soup in the small cups – never mind! All this drama over a luncheon tomorrow with friends!

Can you imagine what state I would be in if Mary and Joseph arrived at my house right about now? Or even better – what not tomorrow during the luncheon! Sure, let’s add a couple of chairs, no problem, oh, plenty of food, no problem. Oh, you are in labor??? Now that’s a problem!

We laugh at this scenario but is it so far from truth? What is all the hustle and bustle about anyway? Why have we allowed ourselves to be marginalized into thinking that immediate is better? That waiting is wrong – on so many levels!!! Feeling overwhelmed??? When does the tyranny of rushing about and non-stop planning end?

It seems that the Inn Keeper in Bethlehem was overwhelmed. Possibly, could it have been too many people in town for the holidays? By being so busy and overwhelmed with the circumstances, the Inn Keeper was not a participant in the birth of our Lord. He was simply a spectator.

What would happen if you and I stopped being a spectator in celebrating the Lord’s birth and became a participant? What would that look like to you? Somehow I don’t think it looks like standing in a flowerbed after 10 o’clock in the evening cutting holly stems from a blinking bush!

Let us make room in the Inn of our hearts – Come, Lord Jesus! Emmanuel – God is with us!