by Pastor Douglas Brauner

There’s Room in God’s Heart for You

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”
Luke 2:7 English Standard Version

Merry Christmas!

So many children’s Christmas pageants make it sound like Bethlehem was filled with motels that all had no vacancy signs flashing to potential lodgers. We misunderstand what an inn was in first century Palestine.

Many of us have guest rooms in our homes, especially those of us whose children have left the nest. That guest room would be similar to the inn referred to by Luke, the difference being that their guest room probably housed more than one family.

When there was no place for Joseph and Mary in the inn, in the guest room, it more than likely refers to the fact that giving birth to Jesus in a room with other people just wasn’t ideal. The birth probably took place in the stable out of respect for the other guests.

In the stable, Jesus found his place in the world.

His place would be with human parents who would love him, care for him, and find it challenging to raise this child.

His place would be with shepherds who had been keeping watch over their flocks by night, shepherds who wouldn’t have been allowed to enter the house but could the stable.

His place would be with angel hosts declaring that his purpose would be to save us from our sins, from our broken relationship with his Father.

What about your place in this world? Does it often feel like there is no place for you? If this is how you feel, then understand that this baby whose birth we celebrate today has another place that he dwells. His place is in you.

By the strength of the Holy Spirit, your heart has become his manger. By faith in this baby, your place will always be with him. There is always a place in the inn of God’s heart for you.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado