Wednesday: The Journey 16

Because there was no room for them in the Inn...

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. Salvation Wednesday, yes the day we pray for the unsaved and ask our Dear Lord to use us to work for Him, trusting Him to supply all the needs to get the assignment done that He gives us to do.

Over the years I have been asked many times how as a Christian can I play Santa or how we can be Santa and Mrs. Claus. Here is a note that I want to share with you word for word. It brought me to tears. Last Saturday we did a family party which we have done for about four years now, neighbors from a street over. The family are very good supporters of the food pantry, but here you see it from the eyes of a child. Here is the note.

Hi Santa,

This past Saturday evening on a very snowy evening we saw you again at the D'Agostino family holiday party. I am little Ella's other grandma.

She had a grand time sitting between you and the Mrs. Late last night on our way home from a holiday event, she kept asking why Santa "wears that white thing". We had no idea what she was talking about, so she told us she was pointing to it. In the dark while driving the car I and Grandma Lanie had no idea what she was talking about. Once we arrived home, she climbed into my front seat and pointed at the crystal cross hanging from my rear view mirror. I can only guess that it looked white with the headlights shining on it. "Why was Santa wearing that?" she asked. Immediately I realized that she didn't know the word for the cross but saw you wearing yours when you visited that night. I explained that Santa wears the cross because it reminds him and others that he loves baby Jesus.

I share this story with you because your simple action of wearing the cross was noticed by a child (and by her grandmas). Hopefully I will continue to see my cross in a different light in the coming days. Thank you for the opportunity to help Ella grow in faith and thank you for blessing our granddaughters that evening that they too may be God's servants.

Blessings to you, your family and your ministry this Christmas and coming year!

Karin McHale

Brothers and sisters, I pray that Mrs. McHale did not mind me sharing this with all of you. You see, folks, we never know the impact we will have on a child, and we always need to be walking in the light of Jesus.

The Journey 16: Luke 2: 7B - Because there was no room for them in the inn. (NIV)
Today, folks, I want you to put your feet in the shoes of that Inn Keeper. Here you have a man and his wife showing up at the inn where he was working the desk. What would he have been thinking? I mean, no place in the Bible do I find where an angel of the Lord went ahead and told the Inn Keeper that Mary was coming and she was with child and the child was going to be King of all kings, Lord of all lords, and the Master Shepherd, The Savior of the World. This Inn Keeper just happened to have already filled the inn and then noticed that Mary was well along with Child and offered to Joseph the barn in which to bed down.

What would you have done then and what would you do now? You are the Inn Keeper, maybe you would have gone a step farther than this guy. Maybe one of us being the Inn Keeper might have gone room to room asking one of the other guests to share a room or give up their room for the one in the barn. If we were the Inn Keeper maybe, just maybe, we would have given them our room, or offered up the lobby, if there was such a thing. But the barn... Now let's fast forward to today, you are in a way the Inn Keeper of your home, right? I mean you have control of the door...

Revelation 3: 20 - "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me." (NIV)

Day after day we are the inn keeper of our own house and if we ever want it to be a home, we must open the door and let Jesus in. I want you to look at this also... We and only we are the Inn Keeper of our heart and not one person gets in our heart unless we let them in. Is Jesus knocking on your heart today and will you open it up for Him today? BEHOLD, He really does want into your heart. Why do you think He was sent here in the first place, to just live in the barn? Open up today and invite Him in... It is Salvation Wednesday and right now I am going to take a break from this journey and ask you to pray with me the sinners' prayer. Not one second longer do I want to go without asking you to give it up for Jesus today...

Dear Father in Heaven, Today I ask Jesus to forgive me of my sins and to come into my heart. I want to renew today, for the eyes of the children are upon me and others. I want to be clean of sin so that when I have a child look into my eyes they can see not just the cross around my neck but the love of Jesus sparking in my eyes and heart. Come in, Jesus, and make us whole. In the name of Jesus, I pray... Amen.

Tomorrow, is a barn really a bad place to have a child? Tomorrow, the advantages of being in the barn, and what some of the other animals were thinking, and what Mary might be thinking as she beds down for the Night Before Christmas. Now go forth and share those blessings, and know that God will give them back to you over and over again... Love ya, dan.

Carry The Light Ministries
16 Dewalt Drive
Mechanicsburg, Pa. 17050
Home 717 691 8200
Cell 717 991 0754 pull off the road to talk on your cell...