It was not a silent night at the inn. It was actually very hectic. I even dare say it was the most hectic of the season! There was a census going on, and you can only imagine the amount of traffic our little town had that year. Although the situation was exhausting, our hearts couldn’t be more grateful. My husband and I had been struggling to keep our inn afloat, and the number of travelers passing through was precisely the miracle we had hoped for. “God will provide, dear” were my usual words, but I felt like a hypocrite. While encouraging my husband, I dealt with my anxiety in silence.
That specific night, the inn was beyond full capacity. We even had to accommodate travelers in the hallways and dining area, which had never happened before. It seemed like we would make it after all!
As we accommodated the last traveler on the floor and turned the main lights off, my dream of a silent and peaceful night faded. We heard a knock on the door. “God, please don’t let it be another guest.”
And guess what? God answered my prayer word by word. It wasn’t another guest; it was two other guests, a man and his wife, and she was pregnant! I could see the tiredness behind her gentle smile, mixed with a faint touch of pain and discomfort. Her husband’s eyes were a mixture of concern and kindness.
My husband and I looked at each other, not knowing what to do. I knew he would agree to give up our bedroom without thinking twice, but we already had! We and our kids were sleeping in the kitchen!
We turned them down with sorrowful hearts. After we closed the door again, an idea came to mind. It wasn’t ideal, but it was better than nothing. I asked my husband to call them back and tell them we could make space at the stable. I was embarrassed to have them stay there, but it was the best we could offer. After they settled, we finally headed to sleep, exhausted after a long day. Little did I know that the night would be anything but quiet.
Some hours later, we heard a knock on the door again. It was Joseph from the stable; his wife Mary was in labor. I rushed to heat up some water and find extra clean clothes for them. Not too long after, a baby was born and placed in a manger.
I noticed a bright star as my husband and I returned to the inn. Distant memories of a Messianic prophecy crossed my mind. Could it be? Before stepping into the inn, we heard a group of shepherds coming down the street. We rushed back and found them worshiping the baby. We couldn’t help but kneel by the manager. The star above the stable shone brighter than ever.
What a privilege! The king of kings was born in our inn! That night, I understood that God, for our afflictions, hadn’t just provided a temporary but a permanent solution.
*This short story is based on Luke 2
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