"Well, why didn't you say so, Come on in!" You want to sing "We're off to see the wizard" now don't you? This is one of my favorite movies. Dorothy and her newly acquired friends are trying to get into the Emerald City to see the wizard. They knock on the door and are quickly told to go away. It is only when they explain who they are that they are allowed access. They had to prove they had done something worthy of seeing the wizard. Aren't you so glad that our relationship with Jesus is NOT that way! Because of his sacrifice for ALL of us, we have been granted FULL ACCESS to him every hour of every day! As I was thinking about this, I began to read these verses in Luke Chapter 2. Luke Chapter 2: 4-7 (ESV) reads, "4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Now, we all know, that when many read these verses they start finding fault in the Inn keeper for putting Mary and Joseph in the stable. He doesn't usually get a lot of love! But let's think about it... the census was happening. I can't imagine the number of people that flooded the town. I wonder if his discourse with Mary and Joseph went something like this..."Good evening, folks. I'm so sorry, I am fully booked. You see, there are people in town for the census and we are swamped! I can't offer you a room, but I will at least give you a place to have shelter and rest. " Now, many of us would have wanted him to pull someone from their room, to make room, for the lady who is certainly looking as though she would have a baby anytime now. But that's now how it works is it? If we show up at a hotel, looking for a room, and they are booked... no matter how tired we look, they are not going to ask someone who has already paid and settled into their room, to move just to accommodate the apparently weary soul, standing at their desk! Right!? So we have to understand the position the Inn keeper was in. We also need to realize that he had no idea who Mary and Joseph were. But I truly believe, that's just how God planned it! The inn keeper gave them a place to stay that allowed "FULL ACCESS" to Jesus! Think about it...after Jesus was born, and the shepherds came to see what the Angels had spoken to them, do you really think the Inn keeper would have allowed the shepherds to come into his Inn? Wonder just what the Inn keeper would have thought if a group of shepherds, probably a little dirty from working there herds that day, walked into his Inn, and asked to see the people in room 214, because a group of angels told us to come and see the newly born King of Kings. Don't think that would have gone over so well! The fact that Mary and Joseph were in the stable, gave all those who knew what was occurring full access to Jesus. That's pretty incredible. This past year my husband and I were blessed to serve a family as they prepared to do a memorial for their parents. We didn't know the family, it was just an opportunity presented to us because of the nature of our position as military chaplain. We were so blessed to be able to spend time with this family and be apart of their service as they celebrated the life of their parents. Anyone who knows me, knows I have never met a stranger, so before we left that day, they were asking about my boys and what brought us to Corpus Christi, which allowed me to share about how God has been so faithful in my family's life. As we were all preparing to leave, we hugged each other and they were so amazingly gracious to Jim and I. I felt so blessed to have been able to share time with such a sweet family. As Jim and I were getting into our car, we noticed the family getting into several SUV's accompanied by body guards. What!? Who in the world had we just been in the presence of? And what in the world was I doing sharing Jesus with them and telling them about my boys like they were family? We soon after found out that the family we were blessed to meet is a very influential family in LosAngeles...Red carpet kinda influential. When I realized who we were just with, I began to cry. I said to Jim, "Do you realize what God just allowed us to do? He allowed us to be "HIM" to people who set the pace in our culture. He allowed us to share about the love of Jesus with people who otherwise we would never have had access to!" It was one of the most humbling moments of my life. It's much like the picture of baby Jesus in the stable, no walls, no doors, no receptionist to approve your entry, just full access to JESUS! That's how our lives should be to those around us! One thing I realized about that day that Chaps and I experienced, was that I was thankful I didn't know who they were. I may have been more reserved in my conversation about Jesus. We must always keep at the fore front of our life, that no matter the walk of life, everyone needs to hear Jesus loves them! So live your life in Jesus, just like that stable, no walls, no boundaries, just FULL ACCESS to Jesus.
