In our day and age, especially in the Western world, pregnant women
don't need a reservation to deliver their baby. They are welcomed to a
special wing of a hospital, and are well cared for. Imagine being in
Mary's shoes. No one had room for her and the delivery day was imminent!
Jesus truly was not welcomed on our planet. At His birth, or even
throughout His entire life (See John 1:11). Instead of a sanitary room,
delivery had to take place in a manger, with animals being the only
witnesses.
But then, in life there are many places that make us
feel unwelcome. Some places only welcome us if we have the necessary
funds, like amusement parks for kids. Have you ever noticed how small
the layout of the admittance gate is? Narrow is the road to admittance!
Notice also the fence with barbwire on the top that surrounds the entire
park, just like a prison. And we are supposed to have fun in such
circumstances!
Scrutiny is tough as well: no ticket, no entry, no
matter how desperate you are. If you have a ticket, you still have to go
through security. First a metal detector, followed by a manual security
check. Are we truly welcome in amusement parks?
On the other
hand, Jesus did not come to earth to have fun, but to save, so that we
could experience eternity in true peace and happiness. No fence and
barbwires required! Still to be born in a manger was his only reception
in Bethlehem.
How different Bethlehem is today. It now has about
six large, comfortable hotels, which are a low-priced alternative to
lodging in Jerusalem. There is now room in Bethlehem!
But even
though the rooms are much less expensive than in Jerusalem, there is a
hidden cost: Bethlehem is completely enclosed by the ill-famed security
fence, a bit like the Western amusement parks. No taxi will drive you
there. You have to disembark and walk through on foot in hot, sweltering
weather. Luckily the checkpoint is operated by bored young soldiers who
seem more interested in their phones than anything else. No one has any
trouble getting through, especially tourists.
Once through, you
find yourself surrounded by men offering their services as tour guides
and taxi drives all at the same time. That's where we become easily
confused. It's true that a ride is the best way to get to know
Bethlehem, but if you don't know where you are going, you may end upon a
very long, expensive journey.
Like anywhere in the Middle East,
prices have to be negotiated before taking services. If you have no
experience with that, you are in big trouble!
One of the thrills
of taking a ride is that the driver will tell interesting stories of his
own. That's where you start to appreciate the culture. Naturally, a
visit to the Church of Nativity is a must, an impressive edifice
containing a peculiarly small door (Maybe in reference to Matthew 7:14),
where a gold star is embedded on the floor to indicate the exact spot
where Jesus was born. It seems the stable has changed into an immense
church! Unless this is not the right spot . . .
Outside the
church you find yourself in Manger Square where you will find
restaurants, cafes, guesthouses, an information centre, and let us not
forget a mosque. Beyond Manger Square is the Old City, typified by
cobblestone streets (My favorite!), lined with numerous souvenir shops,
and eventually you end up in the bustling Arab market.
Interestingly enough, many Palestinians are concerned about having a
negative reputation abroad. But truly they have nothing to worry about.
Most Palestinians are eager to give a warm welcome to anyone they
encounter. Quite often tourists are invited for tea or coffee (Sorry no
Sprite!) By shopkeepers, where you can truly get to know the
friendliness of these people who love to chat, or if you so desire, to
entertain deep discussions. True it's good for business, but more often
than not, tourists find themselves invited at the homes of these
shopkeepers and are introduced to other friends as well.
Strange
that in a place where there was no room for Jesus, hospitality is the
norm today. Anyone would feel right at home there. Maybe they have
learned something from the One who was born in a manger . . .
Rob
Chaffart
No Room 4 You. Christmas for the Broken-Hearted, Part 1
Today's Bible Verse:
"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and
she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and
placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for
them." (Luke 2:6-7)
No Room 4 You. Christmas for the Broken-Hearted, Part 1
Announcement:
Who will you invite for Christmas?
- This mailing list is a public mailing list - anyone may join or leave, at any time.
-
This mailing list is announce-only.
This newsletter is dedicated to bringing people closer to the Lord through thought-provoking inspirational stories. It is published every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
Privacy Policy:
Our Privacy policy
We will never share, sell, or rent your individual personal information and email address with anyone without your advance permission or unless ordered by a court of law.
How can you stop receiving our newsletters?
Each newsletter sent contains an easy, automated way for you to cease receiving our newsletter. If you wish to do this, simply follow the instructions at the end of any newsletter.
If you have received unwanted, unsolicited email sent via this system or purporting to be sent via this system, please forward a copy of that email with your comments to webmaster@answers2prayer.org for review.