Christmas Eve 2009: The Journey 17

Because there was no room for them in the inn.

Merry Christmas Eve, my dear brothers and sisters. Today is family day on the line and the day we want to pray for families. Please pray today for all those families that might not be able to be together for Christmas. Families who have someone serving in the military, families who live to far apart to be together, and folks, for those families that have in-fighting and do not talk to each other. I ask that you also pray for pastors and all others as they preach, teach, and talk to those in church for all the special services. This is one of those times when people who seldom get to church make that appearance. I call them C and E people. Pastors, we need to be sure in all the excitement we talk to them about salvation through our Lord Jesus.

The Journey 16: Luke 2: 7B - Because there was no room for them in the inn. (NIV)

Dear brothers and sisters, we are going to be switching shoes a few times today, so let's sit back and take a look at a few things on this Christmas Eve 2009. I talked to you from the hoofs of the donkey and some from the shoes of Joseph since we started out for this little town. I even talked to you about what it might have been like to be the inn keeper. Ladies, what would it be like and what would you be thinking if your husband loaded you on that donkey's back, traveled a long way with you and when the baby was due, he put you in a barn? Folks, was a barn all that bad? Back in those times a barn or stable might have been a cave with a front built on it. Years ago we had a farm and it had a bank barn, which is a barn that is built into a bank. The upper part of the barn would be used to store straw and hay and maybe a tractor up the middle. To get into the barn you would drive up a hill made of dirt, yes a bank of dirt. The bottom of the barn, where the animals would stay was back in under the ground, at least the back side of the barn would be underground and in some cases the back and maybe one side or two. I found out that with animals in the barn even in the coldest of days it really was not too cold in that barn. In fact, you could really think of a lot worse places to spend a night. You see, even with no room in the inn, God the Father did supply what was needed for Mary to give birth to her special child, and would supply Joseph with supplies to bed down not just his donkey but his family.

But think about it. You traveled across all this land on a donkey and you get to the inn and your new husband to be is going to PUT YOU IN A BARN. Now we know that Mary and Joseph knew what was going on and did not need to worry, but think about it happening today. Ladies, think about it, you are on your way to family or friends and it starts to snow and the roads get covered over with ice..You are on a highway and it gets shut down, your cell phone is not picking up a tower in that area and you start into labor. Your car is loaded with things to travel and you have other children in the car. Your husband notices a farm not far from the highway and he takes you and the family and heads to that farm house. Wow, it looks warm, but no one is home, and the baby is coming, so he goes and checks out the barn. And so it goes, he goes out and makes a bed for you and your other children, he makes a nice small manger out of a feed box and there you deliver that baby among all the animals. Folks, that could happen today. It wasn't all that many years ago when I was driving ambulance for Lower Paxton Twp. when we got a call from dispatch that said, get your catchers mitt and head out to route 83 South and gave the location where a lady was about to give birth in the sleeper of a big rig. I was happy to be the ambulance driver, as the two on board with me got into the truck and I told the truck driver to follow me. Going slow enough so the attendants could work in the sleeper, we arrived at the hospital with one more passenger than when we started. Folks, again, God will take care of our needs, and it happens all the time.

I do wonder what it might have been like that night in the stable. Do you think of how the animals lives were disrupted that night? You who have animals know that when it is time to go to bed, they seem to just lay down and do the same thing. But if there is a strange noise in the house or something is different they go on alert, they pace, and bark. Think of that night in the barn when our Lord Jesus was born. How did those animals behave? Next week we will have some fun and look at that night from the eyes of the animals.

On Christmas morning I will write about that special day we call Christmas...

Dear Father in Heaven, Thanks for this simple birth and thanks for giving Joseph all the things he needed to help Mary with the birth of our Lord Jesus. And thanks for being with us all on this line. Lord, protect Your people this very busy day as they shop for those last minute gifts. Lord, put people in the giving mood and not the receiving mood. Lord, bless pastors with messages for all, and Lord, open hearts and minds please to the messages of the season and salvation. Thanks for this line... please anoint it each day. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Now go forth sharing those blessings and loving others and loving Jesus... and know that I love you. dan.

Carry The Light Ministries
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050
Home 717 691 8200
Cell 717 991 0754