No Room in the Inn

As we read the story of the Saviour's birth, we find a little phrase "no room in the inn," but I wonder how many of us know just how daunting this was.

Do you know the structure of inns in those days? The modern hotel, at least in the for most of us as Americans know it, did not come about until relatively recently. Many who traveled in the past would visit with family, or those who had money would rent a room at the local castle. Inns, when used, were often like what we think of as a hostel. A visitor would share a room, and at times even a bed, with a total stranger.

With just that little bit of perspective, you can see why the inn must have been very full to have turned out a pregnant woman. Mary and Joseph were not just without an empty room to share, there was not any space for them in the beds. Now I may just be making this more than I need to, as maybe I'm the only one who did not realize until recently that this was how inns worked, but I think this is important. Have you ever gone to a family gatehring that required an overnight stay at some distant relative's house who did not have enough space for all her guests and people ended up sleeping on the landing between flights of stairs? (Ahh, reminiscense to college sleep overs...Mrs. Hittle?) There must have been people everywhere!

Have you ever been on a long trip by the end of which you were very tired? I'm sure each person there, for they had to have traveled long to be staying in the inn, was tired and quite reluctant to give up his place in the bed for any more visitors.

And Mary and Joseph? They were tired! Mary was carrying a baby with her, and not in the most comfortable way. Could you imagine! Now they were forced to stay in the hay in a stable, probably built into a cave. The baby's birth, and I know many of us realize just how messy that must have been, took place among the cattle, in the hay! Boy, was this an inconvenience!

This Christmas, as you think about why you're celebrating, think of just how many obstacles there were for Jesus to enter this world, just how many inconveniences He encountered in His life, and the painful death He suffered for you and I. What a life to be celebrated! Adore Him this year, and all your life. He is worthy!

Follow, Believe, and Receive

It's been a while since I last posted, but things have been quite hairy in my life lately. I am learning many things about what God would heal and restore in my life if only I will let Him touch it, let Him into those parts of who I am that no one else sees, and that I'm afraid to share. As I know some of the people personally who read this blog, I may begin to share some of those pieces, but that will come with time, and for those of you who don't know me personally, I trust that God will use my experiences to speak to your life and restore those places that are crushed and damaged in your lives.

That all being said, today I will post from a passage I read a while back. You'll remember from previous posts that God spoke to me of the manna which was no longer given once the people reached the promised land and were able to eat of the land. I was made aware that God has me wandering through the desert right now and I have to rely on His provision daily, and that at times I look up and say in English "What is this?" The Hebrew equivalent to this is manna, which is what the people of Israel said when they ate it day after day.

Well, that brings me to Joshua chapter 14. In this passage, Caleb reminds Joshua of the time when Moses, under God's direction, sent them out with ten other spies to spy out the promised land. Only Joshua and Caleb returned with a good report and followed God in knowing that He would give to them the land that they had seen. Moses passed on a promise from God to Caleb: he would inherit or posses all the land on which his feet had passed. Caleb had come to Joshua to remind himof that promise and hold God's promise to account.

Two things I noticed today as I reread this passage in order to post. One is that there is a pattern in both this passage and the one in Numbers 13-14 in which the original events take place. It says a number of times that Caleb "wholly followed God." I am convinced that Caleb was so convinced that God was going to bring them into the promised land that he would have gone ahead into it if he had been given the chance. He was so convinced that God would come through that he could not be swayed by the fact of numbers. The rest of the spies were afraid of the "giants" in the land, and did not believe that the people could overcome them.

The second thing that I noticed today was that this reminder from Caleb was 45 years after the promise was made. I know that there are certain promises that I've heard God make to me that I am not sure I can wait 45 years to see Him fulfill, but Caleb did not come to Moses or Joshua until the time was right for this promise to be fulfilled. Think of the many times that we've heard children, either ours or those we care for (I am not a mother, but I do plenty of childcare for others who are), come to us and "remind" us of what they want inexpectation that we will do it just then, even if it's obvious to us that it's impossible to do that. I wonder what would have happen in Caleb had entered into the place of his possession when it was not yet time. Could you just see him go up to the mountain declaring an immediate evacuation on all inhabitants? Could you also see the faces of those who were living there? I can hear the laughs and snears as Caleb climbed the mountain, and I can see the destruction that accompanied his rash decision.

No, Caleb waited to claim the promise God had made to him until it was time. He knew that God would come through, and he was patient to see it come. He even watched as the rest of the spies, except for Joshua, died while all of Israel wandered in the desert. I know that God is going to come through in my life, that I will not live in the desert forever. Though I'm afraid that I will forget God's past provision (which I know He won't let me, so why am I afraid?), I look forward to the day when I will know His provision in another way. I look forward to seeing that promise fulfilled. But am I willing to wait for it? Am I willing to see those around me never able to see that promise in their own lives? I hope I don't have to watch that happen, but I have to be willing to watch and continue to trust that God will come through, and follow every step of the way.

So, action steps? First: What has God promised to you? Do you remember it? Write it down, share it with others, trust that God is faithful and will fulfill what He has truly promised. Second: Be bold and remind God of the promises He has made. We never know if those promises are for today and He's just waiting for us to ask. Think what might have happened if Caleb had sat back and said "When God's ready to give it to me, I'll be right here." (Boy do I need to hear that one myself. Mrs. Hittle, remember the shawl idea?) I have too long sat back and told God to bring "it" to me when He's ready to, and I've neglected to step forward and remind Him of the promises He's made almost seven years ago. Be bold and seek God's answer to fulfill His promises. Third: Count the cost of waiting. This might not be the intended time for the blessing to come. Know also that I am not saying that we should "name it and claim it," only that we should believe God for the promises He has made. They may not come today, and that may be because we've not entered into the promised land yet, but if we don't believe that when we get there it will be fulfilled, we won't be able to wait now. Consider your surroundings and seek how God might be leading you closer to the promised land. Consider your surrounginds and seek His understanding of why it may not be the right time. Then as Him how to get there and seek what He will do if you let Him.

Signing off, Mildred.