No Ramada Inn?

The traditional Christmas Eve service was great. Audrey Veal did another fine job of re-telling the ancient story with fresh insight, relating it to our day-to-day lives two thousand years later than the actual events. All while keeping it simple enough for the children in the audience to understand.

Not an easy feat.

Since viewing a documentary a few years ago that discusses the concept of inns and travelling accomodations in that culture, I've viewed the "no room at the inn" part of the story a little differently. Rather than picturing Mary and Joseph parking in front of the Bethleham Ramada and being told the rooms were all booked up for the night, I see it now in the context of family hospitality - or rather the lack thereof. Further rejection of Christ's entry into the world. This website does an excellent job of presenting the details of this translation of the key words:

http://blog.bibleplaces.com/2006/12/in-typical-christmas-pageant-one-of.html

My comment relates to the question of why would Mary travel to Bethleham at all so late in her pregnancy? And my conjecture is this: In a culture where the punishment for marital infidelity is death by stoning, (i.e. even to this day, some related cultures practice Honor Killings - the deliberate murder of any female relative who brings dishonor to the family name), could it be that Mary was safer staying close to Joseph than being left behind in Nazareth? This would fit well with the interpretation that family members in Bethleham chose to offer them shelter only in the lower household area with the animals, and did not offer any greater comforts in the "upper rooms" with the other family members.

It would also solve another difficulty for me. Surely Mary would have needed and had some minimal help from midwives or female relatives during her birth process? I can easily imagine someone in the extended family attending to her with minimal care, despite her "disgraced" condition, but then leaving her and the baby to rest afterwards in the stable area.

Anyway, no matter how we interpret the rather sparse language of the biblical accounts, the point of the story remains the same. God chose the lowest, least glorious route imaginable to enter into his creation.

How can we NOT be attracted to a God who, with all the power and glory of the universe and beyond at his disposal by which he might seek to glorify himself, instead comes to us like this, seeking our allegience. Proving himself (as if he needed to prove anything) to be the One and Only King who's intentions for us are completely honorable and selfless. The kind of King worthy to be chosen as ruler by anyone from the lowliest, humblest shepherd to the richest, wisest Scholar.