Advent Day 25: Journey To the True Heart

When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem to register for the census,  it is likely they might have planned to stay with family.  One scholar says that the word used in the Greek has been misinterpreted and was not 'inn' but something more akin to 'guestroom'.   If they were meant to stay with family, they most obviously were not the most honored guests the family might have had, because they were, according to the same scholar, offered the lowest floor of the house which  served as animal housing.  

Regardless of the possible misinterpretations, we know that Mary's time for birth came and when they sought a room there was none available.  The house was overcrowded, the city was overcrowded, the world as they knew it seemed to have no room for anyone...

Mangers in cities at that time were not barns as we know them but carved out areas, sort of caves with stone walls.  They were crude shelters but offered protection and privacy.  Those belonging to private homes were generally on the lower floor, while the home was built over the stabling area.

Stables, whether they be of wood, metal or stone must be cleaned daily and fresh hay put out and even then they are smelly things.  Not the most hospitable place to stay by any means, but again it is shelter.  And sometimes all we need is for someone to offer us shelter of any kind whatsoever, but please God just let it be shelter!

And so Mary bore the child that would save the world in a stable.

She and Joseph greeted this baby who was God incarnate, a baby who looked like any baby might look.  The shepherds came to greet him and wise men from afar.  

Everyone's  journey ended here at the foot of a manager gazing upon a baby.  A handful of people to greet him, a few who had chosen to believe.  Who were they all?  Not great dignitaries.  Not Kings and Princes.  Just ordinary people who believed.   Men from afar, shepherds, a young girl and a young husband.   All had faced fears and trials and experienced journeys that contained hardships and unbelievable visitations that no one would have believed.   They came to  a place they hadn't expected.  Not a palace.  Not even a guest room.  A stable.  A manger.  A baby.   And this was where they met.

Song: Noel by Chris Tomlin featuring Lauren Daigle

But it's not the end.  It's the beginning of a new and different journey.  Another journey that perhaps won't look quite like what we thought it would nor end in the places we thought it might end.  We go on, pilgrims on a continuing journey,  because we believe that a baby was born and he was called Emmanuel, God With Us.