No Room at the Inn

🎄 December Theme: The Journey to the Manger

📖 Scripture

Luke 2:6–7 (NIV)
“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.”

📚 Background

Mary and Joseph’s arrival in Bethlehem was met with closed doors. Despite being chosen to carry the Savior of the world, they were turned away and had to settle for a manger. This moment highlights both the humility of Christ’s birth and the reality that God’s greatest gift came in the midst of rejection and limitation.

💬 Devotional

A close friend once told me about a time when she and her family traveled during the holidays and every hotel they tried was full. She laughed later, saying, “We ended up sleeping on air mattresses in a relative’s living room, but it turned into one of our sweetest memories because we were together.”

Mary and Joseph’s story reminds us that sometimes the “perfect” place isn’t available, but God still shows up in the unexpected. The manger wasn’t glamorous, but it became holy ground because Jesus was there. On our journey to the manger, we are reminded that God’s presence transforms ordinary, even inconvenient places, into sacred spaces.

🪞 Reflection Questions

Where in your life have you felt “no room” for God’s plans, yet seen Him show up anyway?
How does the humility of Jesus’ birth inspire you to welcome Him into your own ordinary spaces?
What closed doors in your life might God be using to redirect you to His greater purpose?

🛠️ Application: Living It Out

Make room. Set aside time each day to welcome God into your schedule, even when life feels crowded.
Embrace the ordinary. Look for God’s presence in simple, everyday places—your home, workplace, or even a busy errand.
Offer hospitality. Be intentional about creating space for others, showing kindness and welcome where the world might turn them away.

📌 Key Takeaways

Jesus’ birth in a manger shows that God’s presence transforms ordinary places into holy ground.
Closed doors don’t mean God’s plan has failed—they may redirect us to His greater purpose.
The journey to the manger reminds us to make room for Christ in our lives, even when circumstances feel crowded or inconvenient.