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Listen while you read: "What Child Is This"1 (Lyrics) |
It was the week before Christmas, and our young family was asked to take in a foster child, a two-week-old infant. He came with a bare minimum — a grubby bunting bag with a small bottle of milk dampening the corner into which it had been carelessly shoved. The baby's face looked blank, as if he were unable to process this unfriendly world into which he had been born.
His teenaged mother had apparently given up on looking after the demands of a newborn, and had surrendered him to foster care.
We had the baby for three days, making room in our lives by the practice of hospitality — defined by the dictionary as "receiving guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, and generous way". It was challenging to get up in the middle of the night and feed the baby a bottle every two hours, much different than nursing my summer babies. We did what was needed, though, with our boys lavishing attention on our guest by holding him up to see the coloured tree lights. At the end of our time with baby Keith, his whole demeanour had changed. He was alert and no longer had that blank look. He was ready to go to his forever family several kilometres away.
It was a similar story for Joseph and Mary, who arrived wearily in crowded Bethlehem so long ago to take part in a census for taxation purposes. Mary was almost ready to give birth. Hospitality was a social requirement of the culture of the day, and Bethlehem was the hometown of their ancestors. Perhaps a relative took the couple in and offered them a place to stay.
Since the guest room was already occupied, Jesus' birthing room was probably the main room of a simple peasant house. He would have been laid in the manger accessible to the animals, which stayed inside overnight on a slightly lower level. From this humble place of His birth, our Saviour grew up normally, and eventually fulfilled His mission on earth — to die on a cross and save us from our sins.
John 14:2-3 – There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. (NLT)
In this passage, Jesus was talking about hospitality in His Father's home. Our Saviour is preparing a place, better than the finest guest room, for those who believe in Him and accept His offer of hospitality. In this Advent season, is your heart ready and waiting to invite the King of kings to take up residence in it? He is ready and waiting for you.
Romans 12:13b – Always be eager to practice hospitality. (NLT)
The rewards are eternal!
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, that You are preparing a guest room for us. Our hearts are ready to invite You in. Come, Lord Jesus! Amen.
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Amen, Alice. Merry Christmas.
Amen Alice.
Merry Christmas.
Thanks for this devotion, Alice.
May you and those around you have a blessed Christmas.
Thanks, Alice, for this different “birthing room” slant on the place where Jesus was born. We all need the hospitality of inviting Jesus in.
Amen and amen, Alice. Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us! Blessings and prayers for a joyous Christmas season!
Dear Alice,
I enjoyed your lovely message today. I pray that Keith is doing well today with God’s grace.
Merry Christmas.
Dear Alice:
The stories in your devotionals continue to amaze me. You have led a very diverse and interesting life. Keep writing.
May you have a blessed Christmas. Wishing you all God’s blessings in the New Year.
(ON.)
Thank you, Alice, for another of your reassuring writings and for sharing about the time you cared for a foster child. The loving care you and your family gave that child surely gave him a better start to life than he was previously receiving. By accepting Jesus into our lives we can look forward to the greatest hospitality ever. Blessings for your faithful writings and may you and your family enjoy a wonderful celebration of our Lord’s birth.
Good morning, Alice,
This is a great message. I didn’t know that passage from Romans. My parents were always willing to offer hospitality. I am sorry that even though I had a good example set, I am not as generous with my hospitality. I struggle with this. I do practice it at certain times, but not as freely as I am sure God wants me to. Something more to pray on and ask God for His help. Thanks for sharing this story and the walking up of the small child’s feelings. Lovely. Merry Christmas.
This is a different slant on the Christmas story, but not at all biblical.
There was no room at the inn means THERE WAS NO ROOM AT THE INN. It does NOT mean they had to stay in their relative’s stable. We can think of many reasons why they did not stay with relatives, but unless they asked at the inn first and then begged at the relatives, which is unlikely, they did not stay with relatives that first night in Bethlehem.
I am confident Joseph found better lodgings for their second night, but all we know is that by the time the wise men showed up they were in a house.
EDITOR’S NOTE: At least nine Bible translations of the Greek word “kataluma” are “guest room”, not “inn”. The same word is used to describe the upper room where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper. A different Greek word is used for the inn in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. For example, the NIV translates Luke 2:7 as “there was no guest room available for them.” By the time the wise men came, they were probably still in the same house. For the idea of animals in the house, read the story of Jephthah’s rash vow in Judges 11:30-40, where he expected an animal to come out of his house.
Thank you, Alice, for telling this story. It reminded me of a phone call we got in the middle of the night one year long ago. Our church had a ministry in Houston. We became acquainted with a father raising three girls alone. We did keep in touch but as things often happen, we had not kept in touch as much as we should have! In the middle of the night one year our phone rang. It was Child Protective Services. One of the girls was in their customary and she would not go home to her father. Eventually things worked out, but I have often wondered about those three girls. We moved to the country and we have lost touch. Would it be that children could grow up in nurturing and loving families….the reality is different, isn’t it?
Wishing you and Terry and those you love a blessed Christmas.
Dear Alice,
What a wonderful Devotional today, I so enjoy your writing. It brought back memories of my childhood on a farm in Ontario. My parents took in foster babies that were not being cared for. We had 4 different ones over the years. My sister and I were adopted in this family and so was my brother. My sister and I loved to help care for these poor little abandoned little ones. They has such sad starts to their lives. I was raised Mennonite and these little ones were loved for whatever time we got to have them until they went to their forever homes. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us.
Blessings to you and your family this Christmas season.
(Ontario, Canada)
Thank you, Alice, for your dedication to foster children and your message about the home that is waiting for us.