There Was No Room In The Inn

One of the key highlights of Jesus’ birth was the manger. Unfortunately, it is spoken about as if it was a gold cot overlaid with sapphire. A manger is a container for animal feed. Christ was laid in it because there was no room in the inn. I wonder how stressful it was for Joseph that night; He was with a young lady undergoing her first pregnancy, about to give birth and there was no room for her to do so.

“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

My question is, did people not see her heavy tummy? Were they so hardened that they ignored the groaning and birth pangs? Was there no-one compassionate enough to give up their room? Could the hoteliers not have given up an office or changing room, or spoken to one of their guests? They didn’t need to know who Mary was or the child she was bearing. Compassion and goodness should have driven them. We can excuse the guests because they may have been unaware that Mary was there. Perhaps they would have given up their rooms if they knew. However, there was no room and no room. As a mother, I know what being in labour is, even the most comfortable environment cannot take away the burden. I can imagine being told there was no room.

Here we are today: celebrating the birth of Christ year after year, yet we have no room in our inn for Him. He is still knocking at the door of every heart to let him in, but most doors are shut at Him. He is still calling the oppressed and heavy laden to open their doors so that He can be born in their hearts, but unfortunately there is no room. No room to accept goodness, mercy, kindness, love, forgiveness, meekness, joy, peace. No room for the Saviour. You give them tracts and they trash it; knock on their door, and they slam it in your face; you stop them to preach to them and they spit on your face; you talk to them about Jesus, and they don’t have time; They turn down every invitation to eternal life. Some prefer to remain in their idol worship, seeking help where it will never be found. Pacifying their sorrows with the placebo of staying still and looking up into the sky. How far will we continue with closed doors?

You might say, “but I go to church!”. Did you know that going to church or being labelled a Christian doesn’t mean that you have room for Jesus? I remember years ago when we were viewing some houses to move into, when the one we lived in was sold. They were all advertised as 4-bedroom houses. In three of the houses that we looked at, the ‘fourth bedroom’ was a tiny space good enough to be a cloakroom - not even spacious enough for a dining table. I asked the agent why they allowed such advertisement, and his response was that the owners described them as bedrooms, and therefore they were bedrooms. From a spiritual perspective, these kind of rooms are found in the houses of those who go to church and are not born again. The room they have for Jesus is so tiny that they cannot take Him, much less of the Father and Holy Spirit. They have little room for the leading of Holy Spirit, little room to obey the entire word of Elohim and little room for consecration and commitment to the things of God; Little room for Holiness and righteousness, little room for prayers and worship and little room to preach the gospel. When you don’t have time for the things of God or find it difficult to participate in them, you have no room for Jesus.

Religious activity tries to class it as a one-off event, but Jesus is still seeking for rooms in the hearts of men.

Those who Joseph and Mary approached then, that had no room, they missed out on the blessing - It went to the shepherds watching their flocks by night. Now we have known the truth, will we make room for him or pass on our blessings to other people? Making room for Him makes His glory to shine around us. It takes away fear and brings good tidings of great joy.

Making room brings peace and goodwill to the lonely, to the poor, to those cast down by issues of life. No Eastern religion can give that, and in fact those practices merely “kick the can down the road”.

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Luke 2:8-10 KJV

Making room for Him gives us the power of sonship, makes us co-heirs of His inheritance, and gives us access to the Throne of Mercy and power to overcome Satan.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:12-14 KJV