THE INN KEEPER

By Rick Mathes

The journey was so painful on the back of that donkey but Mary took it well so as not to worry her loving and loyal husband Joseph. At times she wanted to scream and turn back or at least stop and rest for a season. But she pressed on to Bethlehem without any security of shelter or help for the child that was soon to join this holy family. The night air was chilly and her painful cry was mostly unnoticed when the water broke and the time edged ever so much nearer. They turned from street to street, house to house without any sign of vacancy. And there in the not too distant horizon was an Inn. At least there they would have a warm dry room and female neighbors to assist in the delivery of the soon to be Son of God.

But no, the Inn Keeper stepped out of the door and said, “There is no room at this Inn.” Joseph pleaded his cause that his wife was about to deliver a child and the time was drawing ever so much closer. The Inn Keeper insisted that he didn’t have any room for them but directed them to a cave that was shelter for many of the locals animals.

Oh, how I would love to meet this miserable soul in glory and ask him if he had any second thoughts about what he had done! Can you imagine how he must feel now, knowing that he turned away the Son of God, his very own Creator and Redeemer!

What could the Lord have said to him when this Inn Keeper stepped into glory? How did he respond? We may never know but I can hardly wait to ask him to step out of the shadows of the Word and make his afterthoughts known to us who are embarrassed for him. Always have room for the Lord in your Inn!