When Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to be counted as did everyone else, they faced an issue when they arrived, there was no more room for them in the Inn. They ended up staying in the stable where Jesus was born to them. This is one of the more popular stories from the bible that we hear quite often throughout the year, but especially during the christmas season. When I arrived in the United Kingdom, I spent some time examining this story and drew some parallels to the situation I found myself in: in a new town where I was unfamiliar with my surroundings and the ideal situation of going straight to my permanent host family was not able to happen. Much like the story from the bible, it worked out for me, I was able to adjust and stay with a temporary host family ( who are some of the most wonderful people I know).
When reflecting on this, I was thinking, what if there had been no room in the stable for Joseph and Mary then what would they have done, would the story that we know today, be different. I kept coming back to the concept that its the Lord’s will, and that he will never put more than you can handle in front of you. He knew that Joseph and Mary would be okay in the stable, and he provided a situation that tested their faith but in the end, made the story so much richer. Jesus was born in a manger with all the animals around, they wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. What a perfect way for the Son of Man enter the world.
The Christmas story is one of my favorite, and I think it has countless lessons that we can derive from it. Today I want to take away the idea of Lord’s will, and that he will never put more than you can handle in front of you, but I also ask you to reflect on you life and see if God is putting you in a situation where you can help, as the Innkeeper did by allowing Joseph and Mary to stay in the stable and as the Dudley family did when they let me stay with them temporarily. You may never realize what God is trying to do, until you “become” the innkeeper.
Nice parallel in accepting a different situation, also, I was an innkeeper last week only for 3 nights but two different groups and was grateful for all the hosting gifts ie I made the lamb soup right before our former exchange student and his girlfriend came. John, our son, had given us a nice loaf of bread that he made at the co-op which I got out of the freezer. Ken wanted to bring everyone to the football game between Kamiah and Kendrick. Afterwards, a lady wanted to sell her wild game meat pies to us at the street karaoke, which was the last Lol..all gifts:)