1 No Room in the Inn

The Christmas story, as told in the book of Luke, tells of Joseph and Mary traveling from Nazareth to Bethlehem and, while they were there, Mary bringing forth her firstborn son and laying him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (see Luke 2:4-7; emphasis added).

Each of us, some two thousand years later, plays the role of innkeeper. Each of us decides whether there is room for Him in our hearts and in our lives.

What? you may say. No room for Jesus?

Yet, we may unwittingly, unconsciously leave no room for Him because of the cares of daily living, the very busy-ness of our lives, especially at this hectic season of the year.

If we ignore the needy and less fortunate, the lonely and suffering, the aged and the children, or those whom Jesus referred to as the least among us (see Matthew 25:40), then we are saying we have no room for Him.

If we fail to keep His commandments (see John 14:15), which center in loving and serving God and in loving and serving our neighbor (see Matthew 22:36-40), then we are saying we have no room for Him.

If we forget to take time to ponder and pray and to thank Him for His abundant blessings and tender mercies (see D&C 59:21), then we are saying we have no room for Him.

As the final verse of one of our beloved carols, "O Little Town of Bethlehem," reminds us,

How silently, how silently
The wondrous give is giv'n!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of his heav'n.
No ear may hear his coming;
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him, still
The dear Christ enters in.

Our Christmas wish is that our inns will not be too full and that we will allow the dear Christ to enter in.