No Room in the Inn... REALLY????

I wanted to share something with you from my prayer time this morning after reading Luke 2. I am usually not one to share my private conversations with God in such a public way, but I felt compelled to share with you (whoever you may be), what God and I talked about this morning. I record my prayer time in my prayer journal. This is preserved in the delightful pink faux crocodile skin journal my sister Maria gave me:

"Good News! Good News! Thank you Father for Your Good News! You are amazing! You revealed to lowly shepherds the Good News! They were the first to hear it straight from You! You were the ONE who chose the stable. No other place would do. If they (Mary & Joseph) had found a room in the inn, The shepherds could have mistakenly found the wrong baby. But You wouldn't, couldn't let that happen. Jesus' birth had to be remarkable. It had to be unique. There could be NO other savior. There could be NO other way for Him to arrive. You gave this Good News to the shepherds but You told them it was for ALL. It still is for all: black, white, Asian, Native American..."red and yellow, black and white, they're all precious in Your sight, Jesus loves the children of the world". Of course You do that is why You came. You showed the shepherds the Good News but You also knew they would share it with others. Why, they couldn't contain themselves!

They spread THE WORD! LORD, I want to do that. But, sometimes the poison of bitterness and resentment or pride and prejudice get in my way. Forgive me for the last few days especially for setting myself as judge and jury. For using words as weapons instead of using THE WORD to promote Your peace. LORD, I wonder about something else... Why if the shepherds revealed Your truth about Jesus at His birth, didn't the people remember that? But I suppose it was because His time was not yet come. He had to grow up average. he had to experience what I would. He had to know how I would feel when other children taunted and teased Him. He had to know what it felt like to be rejected. To experience what it was to feel like you didn't belong. I am starting to see it better now. Maybe you sent the shepherds for Mary and Joseph. I'm' sure they could have used some reassurance. Your WORD says that Mary treasured this and pondered them in her heart. She needed to have that experience. She needed to know that You cared. That she would NOT be the ONLY one that could testify to Your Son's birth.

The Shepherds went away praising and glorifying You. For ALL You said would happen did. Just as You said it would. That is the same today! I can count on You! Thank You for being a promise keeper and covenant maker. Your WORD is TRUE! They may not have been schooled in the Old Testament prophecy as shepherds but You revealed Jesus to them and they believed. The scholars knew from whence He would come and yet did NOT believe. All part of Your AWESOME plan. You don't let anything happen You don't intend. It is sad, their hearts had to be hard, but it had to happen so that Jesus would be crucified. How did we get from a feeding trough to a cross? Two crude wooden instruments that You used. You could have used ANYTHING! But in both situations, NOTHING else would do! NOT for Your plan. NOT for Your necessary plan of salvation. You use the despised things, the lowly to shame the wise. Thank You for revealing Your Son to me. Let me be like the shepherds in amazement. Let me glorify and praise You. Let me share what You have revealed to me. Lowly me. The insecure, inept, little girl that still sometimes rears her head inside. The some one who remembers the torment of being picked last in P.E. or being left out. yet You use me. I want to treasure the WORD as Mary did. Ponder it and then give it out as the shepherds did. LORD Thank you for loving me enough to trust me with Your promises, Your joy, Your peace, Your SON! He came for me but Your WORD says NOT only for me but ALL. Help me to live that. May I have Your Spirit of inclusiveness while maintaining Your Spirit of TRUTH this Christmas. There was only ONE way Jesus could be born in that crude manger scene and only ONE way He could die on that Old rugged cross. Thank You for the Good News! I love You God!! I give You this day and every day. That I may walk triumphantly in Your grace. Order my day!