There was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7, NKJV
“Are you ready for Christmas?” people ask when they greet each other during December. I always ask for a definition of what it means to be ready for Christmas. If it means shopping for everyone on my list, baking lots of desserts, decorating my home, wrapping presents, hosting, or attending a Christmas party, then I’m never ready!
If preparing for Christmas simply means Jesus is coming to stay with me, then oh yes, I am ready and overjoyed to see Him! I certainly would find time to clean the house, cook a special meal, buy a lovely present, and transform space into a beautiful, comfortable guest room.
When Jesus was born, Middle Eastern hospitality meant washing dusty feet, providing water to drink, sharing a meal, and giving shelter to weary travelers—in your home.
In Luke 2:7 the Greek word “katalyma” is translated as inn. It appears again in Luke 22:11 when Jesus needs a “guest chamber” for the Passover meal. The “katalyma” was an upper room which could be a locked storeroom, space for large gatherings, or room for visitors. Being an innkeeper might have meant that neighbors directed travelers to your “katalyma.”
With King David’s descendants returning to their hometown for the census, did the village of Bethlehem have adequate space? What accommodation did Mary and Joseph need? Probably they wanted just enough space to lie down. Mostly likely, the innkeeper’s urgent dilemma was finding enough floor space to squeeze in two more sleeping mats.
I ponder the innkeeper’s refusal to find room for the Son of David about to make His entrance into the world. I want to believe I would have given up my own bed for the Son of God. But to be honest, I would have wearily waved them on and barred the door before they could ask for a meal.
Today Jesus knocks on the door of my heart asking me to open it and let Him perform the miracle of my rebirth. How do I respond? Do I make space in my life for the Savior? Is He the guest of honor in my daily routine? Do I invite Him into the intimate chamber of my heart? The critical question is, am I part of the “Inn Crowd” or one of the “Stable Few”?
Rebecca Turner is an editorial assistant at the General Conference Women’s Ministries Department.
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