Traveling is almost always an adventure. The road that carries us to our destination can be funny, hard, dangerous, but never dull. Sometimes the journey is better than the destination. At the end of the day, you need a place to “lay your head”.

On a trip to Virginia years ago, Wayne and Linda Melton went with us. Baxter was going to run the Virginia 10 Miler and then we were going to visit Gettysburg, Red Hill, Williamsburg…do the history thing. 

When we got to Williamsburg, it was after supper time. There was some event going on and rooms were not available. This was in the days before Air B&B, GPS, etc. Usually you could drive into a town and just get a room at a hotel/motel.

We had the trusty AAA destination book and had been calling a particular chain motel. They had rooms available so we headed that way. When we got to the street listed in our AAA book, there was no  motel by the name we had been given. We drove up and down the street. Pulled into one motel parking lot to turn around…kept driving and looking.

After 30 minutes or more, we called the motel. Guess what?! They had changed their name. We had turned around in their parking lot looking for them…getting frustrated…tired, hungry…Linda and I began to laugh uncontrollably. Wayne got out of the car, totally irritated. And my poor Baxter. He couldn’t get us to hush laughing and Wayne was headed to the door…irritated.

We have probably all found ourselves there.

Mary and Joseph did. When Caesar Augustus called for the census to be taken. We all know the story as it has been told to us. There were so many people in Bethlehem that no room was available. But it wasn’t like we have been taught.

When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, it is true that people had come from all over Israel. Joseph, having his family roots there, would have expected to find an extended family member to lodge with. There were no “inns” in Bethlehem. (Luke uses the word. “Inn” in the parable of the Good Samaritan. That word, “pandocheion” means a commercial inn where all may lodge.)

The word “inn” in verse 7 of Luke 2, is the Greek word, “katalyma” which means “guest room”. Jewish homes during this time were 2 room structures. One would be the family room where the family lived, ate, and slept. The other room was the guest room. In their culture, hospitality was most important. So this room would be used by guests…all the guest rooms in Bethehem were taken. The Greek word, “topos” translated “no room” actually means “no space”. There was  no space in Bethlehem.

However, it would have be a shame to the Bethlehem community for a descendent of King David not to receive hospitality. Thus Mary and Joseph ended up in a stable. But not really.

At the end of the family room, there would be an area sectioned off where the family’s livestock would be brought in at night. Livestock was essential and losing them to theft or predators would be devastating. Mary and Joseph found themselves in the area of the house where the livestock was brought in at night.

Which brings us to another fact. They weren’t alone. There would have been Jewish women relatives with Mary to help her. It never seemed right to me that our God who promises to meet all our needs would abandon a young girl at the time of her delivery. It didn’t match the nature of the loving Father I know. 

A recent Bible study brought this idea of the “katalyma” full circle for me. In Luke 22, Yeshua sends Peter and John to find a place to celebrate the Passover. Yeshua tells them to ask the man, “Where is the guest room (katalyma) that I might eat the Passover with my disciples?” Luke 22:8-13. The man had a guest room (katalyma) available. It brought me to tears. No katalyma when He was born…but Bethlehem made space for Him…as He prepares to die for us, a katalyma is available. 

Wonderful. Marvelous.