Thoughts from The Bible

No Room In The Inn
by Terry Broome

Can you imagine??? It’s truly hard for me to fathom what it means to say that God came in the flesh in the form of man, and they called His name “Jesus, for He would save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:2; Luke 1:31). I’m certain that most readers will remember very well the record of Luke 2:7 “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Because there was no room for them in the inn, the baby Jesus was crowded out to be born in a stable and laid in a manger. The world’s innkeepers like to tell you of the influential world leaders who have stayed in their inns, and that “George Washington slept here” (or some other famous person). Yet here, some ancient innkeeper missed his chance to say “the Savior of mankind and the most influential character in all history was born in my inn.”

There is one thing I can fathom, however. The world misses a great blessing when it makes no place for Jesus. Friends, the human heart, the family, the community, church or nation that excludes Jesus invites spiritual bankruptcy. Ephesians 2:11-12 (KJV) “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world.”

Truth is often discovered first by the humble. The angelic messengers did not appear first to the ecclesiastical hierarchy but to lowly shepherds keeping watch in the fields. This event, which was of such concern to Heaven, was largely unnoticed by the world. Their interests lay elsewhere (Luke 2:8-14). It takes an humble heart to surrender to Jesus. The common people heard Him more readily. The shepherds were told that they would find Jesus “in the city of David,” “wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” Luke 2:11-12 (KJV) “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

They decided to follow the instructions fully and immediately. They had faith and they arose and went. They didn’t substitute another city for Bethlehem nor look elsewhere than in a manger to find him. Human reasoning could have made them question the place for one who was born to be king! And still today Christ is not hidden from honest hearts who follow the Bible.
The world has never been the same since the night when Christ was born, but his coming into the world means little to those who do not personally believe in Him and obey Him. Will you make room for him in your life today? If you are tired of the load of your sin – let Jesus come into your heart. Rev. 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me.”

The author can be reached for comments at 256-574-2489.

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