I can still remember the day my son Robert was born. Upon arriving at the hospital, we signed some documents then we were escorted to a room that looked more like a hotel suite than a delivery room. The room was elegantly furnished. There was soft sighting, cable television, a sofa, and a recliner. And, as if this wasn’t enough, my sister Cindy joined us to help with the birthing process.

When the time came for my son to be born, I remember thinking we were going to be transferred to another room. However, within a minute or two the room was completely transformed. The ceiling opened up and all kids of instruments, lights, and apparatuses came down. I remember looking at the bed being transformed from a hotel bed into a hospital bed with all kinds of medical equipment to assist with the delivery. Shortly thereafter, the doctor came in with his medical assistant. I sat in the comfort of a recliner watching as my wife, sister, the medical assistant, and the doctor delivered my son into this world. 

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 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. Luke 2:4:6-7 NIV

When the Son of God entered the world the scene was quite different. His hospital room was a stench filled stable. It was full of animal manure and urine, and there were cobwebs hanging from the ceiling. Mary had to position herself on the dirt floors full of hay to give birth. A group of shepherds was off to the side watching perplexed as the scene unfolded. Joseph sat close to Mary, weary after the day’s journey. The Son of God would enter the world in the midst of this mundane, ordinary scene. The King of Kings was born amongst sheep. This holiness would enter the world in the filth of the animal manure. This divinity was brought into the world on the floor of the stable because there was no guest room available for Him.

The people of the city of Bethlehem were completely unaware of this event. They were too busy buying, selling, eating, and drinking to notice that the Son of God had entered the world. I believe that for many people today, not much has changed since the birth of Jesus. I wonder however, do you have a guest room available for Him this Christmas?