Luke 2:7
And she brought forth
her firstborn son, and wrapped HIM+ in swaddling clothes, and laid HIM+ in a
manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
O
Inn-Keeper of Bethlehem !
Did you do the Will of GOD?
Did you do all you could to
procure the young, laboring mother a room ?
Did you not feel any remorse at
all, in your decision to avoid inconvenience for you and perhaps some of your
clients ?
Undoubtedly, it is hard to face
the anger and ire of inconvenient guests who have already paid their money.
After all, one has to consider one's reputation for future business. Besides, some guests could become a bit
unruly when disappointed.
However, If a great king had come
along with his entourage, you may suddenly have "found" a room, the
nicest one in the establishment.
You would have roused up the
highest-paying guest and, without a twinge of remorse, removed him from the
requested room.
Oh, how gold and silver make a
difference in daily decisions ! Everybody can understand that, even
discomfitted clients.
Likewise, if a powerful lord with
his soldiers had made the request, how quickly you would have found a room...
even several !
You would have discomfitted even
your most loyal customer to avoid the point of the sword. Everybody would
understand that, also.
Future reputation ? No problem!
Unfortunately, O Inn-Keeper, you
looked upon the outward appearances of your clientele... and made the worst
judgment call of your life.
The KING+ of kings was about to be
born, but you could not see in the dark, that gross darkness that covered the
earth. You did not know that your
time had come to decide for GOD.
The splendor of this Coming KING+ ... and His+ TRUE RICHES... escaped your carnal eye, alas.
The LORD+ of lords was ready to
enter the world outside His+ mother's womb, but you would not have HIM+ in your
abode. You did not see the Divine
Heavenly Armies that HE+ commands, did you ?
The Heavenly swords were not
unleashed against you, so you had no knowledge of their presence. (Hmm...mm..m.
An interesting thought. )
O, Inn-Keeper of Bethlehem !
In your great benefice, did you
direct them to a stable, an animal stall ? Perhaps you thought, a birthing
woman and her husband did not need anything as good as a place in your inn full
of guests that night.
Perhaps birthing a child inside
the inn might have created an awkward situation and disturbed your guests who
were already grumpy, having to pay more taxes to Caesar.
One must be expedient, you know.
After all, you had a business to run and so many clients to satisfy. No more
demands were you going to carry that night, especially from these travel-weary,
rustic "unknowns."
Thus, O Inn-Keeper, you missed it.
You missed your time.
You missed your calling. You missed being a part of the Greatest Birth on
Earth.
You missed welcoming The
MESSIAH+. You missed the KING+ of kings
and LORD+ of lords Who+ came to your lowly establishment.
You did not ease His+ entrance
into this harsh world. You did nothing
to help His+ Servants as they brought HIM+ forth from the womb of His+ tired,
young mother.
Furthermore, you did not proclaim
His+ Birth because you hid your face from His+ need. At the hour of His+ need you absented
yourself. Your temporal duties absorbed all your effort.
O, poor, poor Inn-Keeper !
There are some things that money
cannot buy: rest, peace, a clear conscience, the love of The LORD our GOD.
You sold your birth-right for a
mess of pottage.
Your time had come. It was a
one-time event, never to be repeated. There were no second chances.
O, Inn-Keeper...may The LORD have
mercy upon your soul... wherever it is… in Eternity right now.
And, may HE+ have mercy upon mine, opening my eyes to see HIM+ when HE+ comes to my own door, in disguise.
