Giving What You Have!

When we were moving from Montana to Oklahoma, Dwayne and I had to split up to cover different needs. I had a two day drive home with the kids. I decided that if we left as soon as I got home around 3:00 p.m., we could get about 5 hours of driving in which would help us out greatly the rest of the trip. There are three main routes I could choose from. I hated one, liked the other but my favorite route was always through South Dakota. According to my plan, I would arrive in Rapid City, SD around 9:00 p.m. When I had made the turn on my chosen route and traveled far to the point of no return, I realized that my choice was not good. I had forgotten that the annual national biker rally was being held. This is an event where over 750,000 bikers come together in the small town of Sturgis, SD. We are talking bikers of all kinds, from the hard core Hell’s Angels to the 'Wild Hogs'! When I stopped at the hotel in Rapid City (the first large city past Sturgis), I went in with my two children to ask for a room. I do not know how the front desk assistant kept from laughing at me. They must have felt sorry for this stupid mother, traveling through with her kids. I was informed there was no room available (reminds me of a Bible story!). She looked in their computer data base and informed me there was one room available, 500 miles away! I was already tired from lack of sleep the night before and working an 8 hour day. Five hundred miles meant over 7 hours of driving down a long, dark, secluded highway. Definitely something I didn’t want to do but I had no choice but to do. Bryce was 16 so I would let him drive a few times, long enough to get a little rest. I couldn’t sleep with my 16 year old driving but I could close my eyes for a little rest. We pulled into the hotel with the one room available at 5:00 a.m. I do not believe I have ever been so tired. I could not have driven another mile. I had determined that if the hotel had given the room away, I was going to ask them if I could rent three pillows and 3 blankets. I was going to take them and go to the police station and tell them we were going to sleep in the car for a few hours. It was not safe to sleep in parking lots at the hotel or a rest stop because we were still too close to Sturgis. I was so thankful and relieved that they had saved the room for us. I didn’t care what kind of room it was, I just needed a place to sleep.
There are many people in the Bible that I feel we do not treat fairly. One of these people is the innkeeper in Bethlehem. Many times we envision him slamming a door in the faces of Joseph and Mary, saying, “There is no room!” I don’t see him like that. They had obviously been to several Inn’s trying to find a place to stay. Mary was getting closer to delivery and it was becoming more and more critical to find a room. There were no phones to call ahead a have a room held, it was first come, first serve. However, when this innkeeper saw Mary and Joseph, I believe he had compassion on them. He didn't have a room for them, but maybe it was he who offered the stable. Many times they would use caves to keep the animals. Joseph and Mary was in such need, I think they were appreciative to have any place to get warm, lay down and deliver their precious child. Sure, it wasn’t what they thought they would have when they began their trip, but it is amazing how we are willing to give up some of our expectations when we are tired and in need.
Sometimes we think we know what God wants from us. We prepare to give him exactly that and nothing else. Whatever we are not as prepared to offer, we feel is not good enough for Him. It has not been cleaned up yet. The problem is, God wants access to all areas in our life. The nice, pretty, public parts as well as the dirty, crappy places we do not let others go. Are you willing to give Jesus access to every part of you? Do you offer Him all you have, even if you do not think it is good enough for Him? Or do you say, ‘no room’ to Him and send Him on His way?

And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:7