Prayer Journal

Friday, December 26, 2003

Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to register in a census ordered by Caesar Augustus. Joseph's was of the line of David and Bethlehem was his town. Luke's account tells us that Jesus was born there in a barn, or manger because there was no room for them in the inn. (Lu 2:7) This was most likely because so many people had jammed the city for the same reason as Joseph.

The manger scene is perhaps the most famous of all Christmas icons. There we see the baby lying in the manger, Mary and Joseph kneeling beside him, three wise men bearing gifts, some camels and a few other barnyard animals. Low in the sky behind them is the star that led the wise men to Jesus.

As I painted my Christmas picture for you, you may have forgotten momentarily that Jesus' parents found it necessary to give birth in a barn because there was no room in the inn. Most people have the impression that the inn manager angrily turned Joseph away at the door and pointed him to the barn as an insult. But we just don't know for sure. It's just as likely that Joseph, a common carpenter from Nazareth, couldn't afford the price of a room with a convention in town. Or he might have overheard someone tell a friend after being refused at the front desk, "There's no place to stay in this city; come on, I guess we'll have to sleep under the stars tonight."

Regardless of how it happened, there was no place for the Son of God in Bethlehem that night except in the barn with the animals, with all the noise and the stench. One thing for certain. It was not as pretty a setting as the postcard image we keep in our mind.

I wonder how many people that night would have given their room had they known who Jesus really was? How many Of them would have crammed into that barn just to see a view of the Messiah had they known his true identity? How many would have sold their provisions in order to give God's son a gift?

The truth is that today we're no better than those who slept in the warmth and comfort within a hundred of feet of the manger that night. In fact, we probably worse because we know who Jesus is and we still make no room for him in our heart. The Psalmist says it's obvious we don't think about him; we don't seek him and we don't adjust our plans to make room for him.

We should never ever think badly of the inn manager again. You see, he was ignorant of who Jesus was. But if I just described you as having no room for Jesus in your life, you should know better. You know who he is and yet you reject him. I wonder if there'll be room in God's inn for you?

Just Thinkin'... WebServant

Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

Copyright © 1998-2003 James R. Green and Prayertower Ministries
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