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 ^“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.”  Luke 2:7 (KJV)

The heart of the Christmas story is familiar to us—Joseph leaving Nazareth with Mary and making the long, nearly hundred-mile journey to Bethlehem for the census. But what sort of lodging did Joseph expect to find when they finally trudged into Bethlehem?

Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly. The Greek word translated as “inn” is kataluma. That could mean anything from a guest room to a hostel. It could have been a room attached to the home of a leading citizen, a rooftop guest chamber in the home of a relative, or even a lean-to on someone’s property. Scripture gives no clue beyond the single mention of kataluma.

What we do know is that Bethlehem was overflowing. Travelers from everywhere had returned for the census. Joseph, having family in town, would naturally have checked with relatives first for a room, only to find every guest space already taken. One door after another must have closed on them as they trudged along, discouraged, their strength sapped.

At last, they knocked on their last door. The innkeeper answered and had to give Joseph the same answer he had received everywhere else. There was no room.

We usually give the innkeeper bad press. Didn’t he know who they were? Didn’t he know he was about to participate in the most earth-shaking event in history? No, he didn’t.

He obviously had compassion for the young couple at his door. But if all the rooms are already full, you can’t change reality. There is NO room. He might have hoped that, with all the other places to stay in Bethlehem, the young travelers could find something else. He might have started to tell them to look elsewhere, but wait . . .

The innkeeper paused long enough to hear the still, small voice of God urging him to offer the stable. Joseph and Mary must have been overcome with gratitude, even if it wasn’t what they would have chosen for themselves. At last, they could sit down, rest, and dig into their sacks for a bite to eat.

In that humble shelter, God provided something precious: privacy. Had they been in a crowded home, Mary’s labor would have unfolded with curious ears just beyond the wall. Instead, she and Joseph were alone with the barn animals and the Spirit of God hovering over the birth of His Son.

And so, in that stable—the place no one would have chosen—the Lord Jesus came into this world and was laid in the manger, because there was no room in the inn.

“Thank You, Father, for weaving every detail into Your perfect plan— for the innkeeper who offered what he had, and for Mary and Joseph, who followed Your call to welcome and raise Your Son. As we enter this Christmas season, help us remember that every part of the story was Your gift to us. Our hearts are full of gratitude.”

For His Glory

Cherie Harbridge Williams (www.CherieHarbridgeWilliams.com)
TRBC Women’s Life