The IN-Keeper: Have I Made Room?

The Inn-keeper in the Bible Story of Jesus’ birth intrigues me. Not much is written about him. Leaves much to our imagination. With the census going on for the entire Roman World, you know his inn must have stayed jam-packed at 100 percent occupancy. He was truthful to Mary and Joseph. He certainly wasn’t a mean man. In fact, I can sympathize with him. Guests checked out, then more guests with reservations checked in.  He was trying his best to be hospitable by offering a stable and manger out back.

Little did he know he was too busy and lacked room in his life for the Savior of the World’s birth. Ouch. Doesn’t that hit close to home?

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” –Luke 2:7 NIV

Anything of value in our lives requires us to make room.

We make room in our time schedules, our budgets, our hearts for a new relationship we value. Even for Christmas we make room, don’t we?

To bring in my new wonderfully-smelling fraser fir tree, I moved over my upholstered comfy chair and reading lamp. Box after box of Christmas decorations require me to move my year-round décor and replace it with my valued Christmas festive decor.

In the Bible Story of Jesus’ birth, the Inn-Keeper had no room for Jesus. Mary and Joseph resorted to a hay-filled stable, along with the animals. Our Savior of the World Jesus was born in a tiny manger. The tiny manger was plenty of room for the King of Kings and was truly the first King-Size Bed. 

The big question is: Do I make room for Jesus? So often I don’t with my hurried schedule, my shortened quiet time, quick prayers.

Jesus is our only “In” to eternal life. We who believe are all “IN-Keepers.” How much room am I making in my schedule, my budget, my heart for Jesus, the Savior of the World, my Savior?

Forgive me, Lord, for being too busy. For not making room for you. Take my whole heart, Lord. Lord Jesus, move everything else out to make all the room You want and need in my heart. You are the only way IN to eternal life. I desire to be a true “IN-Keeper.”

 Reflect:

–“Make room for us in your hearts.” –2 Corinthians 7:2a NIV

–“ ‘Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’” –Mark 14:14-15 NIV

–“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” –John 21:25

Renew:

–How can I make more room in my life for Jesus?

–Who else may I be pushing out because “there’s no room in the IN?”

Resource:

-“But this I do know. My own true love. All your life long, you wait for your own true love to come–we all of us do–our destiny, our joy, our heart’s desire. So how am I to say it, gentlemen? When He came, I missed Him. Pray for me, brothers and sisters. Pray for the Inn-Keeper. Pray for me, and for us all, my own true love.” –from the Inn-Keeper’s perspective, taken from Frederick Buechner’s  “The Birth.” Magnificent Defeat.

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Comments

  1. Beautiful Danya. This really made me think about how much I should be setting aside every day for Jesus. What really hit me was that I’m indeed an Inn Keeper! Wow!