God in the chaos
by Belle Tindall, Christian Today:
[…] We read a lot of assumptions into the Nativity story. Want to know one of the most ingrained ones? I apologise in advance; this may well burst a plethora of nostalgic bubbles for you.
There is no mention in the biblical accounts of an inn keeper, an inn, a donkey, or (you ready for this one?) a stable.
I know. It hurts me too. It’s like the biblical version of finding out Santa isn’t real.
We read that there was no ‘guest room’ available, and our modern minds are picturing Mary and Joseph knocking on the doors of the independent B&Bs and the local Premier Inn to no avail. Ancient readers, however, would have read those words and immediately assumed that the Bethlehem side of Joseph’s family had no spare rooms to squeeze them into.
Either way: disaster, right?
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