The Innkeeper's Dilemma - Devotional

Read This: Now there were shepherds nearby living out in the field, keeping guard over their flock at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people: Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:8-14)

Watch This:

Think: We are a lot like Stuart in some ways. We tend to focus on the predictable, everyday things so much that we miss out on the miracles happening right in front of us. We don’t really notice the couple needing a room is in labor. We may see the star above the barn, but we need someone else to point out the significance. A wise man has to explain the birth of the long awaited Savior which trumps everything else going on.

Seeing isn’t always believing. We can get so caught up with life that we don’t stop and reflect on the ways God is moving. Like Stuart, we brush things off or use our finite reasoning skills to explain away the miraculous. I mean, who wants to be like that crazy shepherd guy seeing angel aliens singing in the clouds?! And yet we miss so much when we judge our circumstances too quickly. Assuming God isn’t going to show up, we don’t look for Him. Deuteronomy 4:29 says, “if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if, indeed, you seek him with all your heart and soul.”

At the end of the day, we want to be like that shepherd who is so in awe of what he has seen and experienced that he can’t help but tell the world about the Savior. This Christmas, let’s behold the miracle, embrace the miracle, and never forget that God is still about miracles today.

Ask: We are promised that we will find God when we seek Him. What does seeking God look like for you?

Pray: Ask God to help you see what He is doing all around you, to open your eyes to the everyday miracles.

The Innkeeper's Dilemma video is also available as a script you can perform during your church service.