The Christmas story as told for so many years, we played our parts, we we watched our siblings play the same parts, we watched our children play the parts, and now we are richley blessed as our grandchildren are a part of that same play that tells the story of hope come to a manger. Our hope is that the story never stops being told and lived out in our churches Amen.
YOU CAN HAVE MY ROOM
It was the typical Christmas pageant. Miss Lumbard was trying to assign all the children to their appropriate roles. Wallace Purling wanted to be a shepherd and have a flute, but Miss Lumbard found a more important role for Wally. He was about nine, and rather big for his age, but also rather slow. Miss Lumbard thought his size would make the lines of the Inn Keeper more forceful, and besides there were not too many words for Wally to remember. So it was as that fateful night began.
The usual crowd of parents and loved ones gathered for the towns annual program. None of them more taken up by the story than Wallace Purling. Wally stood in the wings fascinated and caught up in the story that from time to time Miss Lumbard had to remind him not to wander on stage.
Then the time came. Mary and Joseph appeared slowly moving toward the inn. Joseph knocked on the door and Wally the Innkeeper was there waiting. “What do you want?” He said swinging the door open.
“We seek lodging.”
“Seek it elsewhere.” Wally said looking straight ahead and speaking brusquely.
“Sir, we have asked everywhere in vain and we have traveled so far.”
“There is no room in the inn for you.” Wally looked properly stern.
“Please Mr. Innkeeper this is my wife she is heavy with child and need a place to rest.
Now for the first time Wally relaxed. He looked at Mary. With that there was a long pause. The audience was a bit tense and embarrassed. And the prompter said from the side, “No be gone!” Wally repeated, “No begone.!”
Joseph placed his arm around Mary and walked sadly away. The tired little mother of Jesus laid her head on his shoulder. The innkeeper did not return to his inn. Wally stood there watching the forlorn couple. His mouth stood open, his brow was creased, his eyes began to fill with tears. Suddenly this Christmas pageant became different from all the others.
“Don’t go Joseph,” Wally called out. “Bring Mary back”. Wally’s face grew into a beaming smile, “You can have my room.”
John 3:16 (The Message)
16-18"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.
- And so Christ comes to us.
- We are the innkeeper of our hearts, of our lives.
- Is there room for Him? If the inn is full? Can we make room?
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ALL OF US TO ALL OF YOU. PLEASE STOP IN AT OUR INN WE HAVE ROOM AND HOT APPLE CIDER.
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