Are you looking for rest? Is your heart cluttered? Are you searching for comfort? Just look at the King-sized bed.
Of all the questions swirling around the Christmas story, the one I can’t figure out is, “Where did Mary and Joseph sleep?” Looking back with modern eyes, I ponder their situation. They have traveled a great distance, they were tired, Mary is great with child, the town is crowded, and the inns are full. Where were they going to sleep?
I am unsure what was going through their minds, but I am sure they were looking forward to the inn. They were weary from the trip; their feet were sore. Perhaps they wanted a king-sized bed, room service, a whirlpool tub, ESPN on the television, a place to put up their feet. Nothing too fancy, Motel 6 would do. But this is far from what they find. Luke says, “There was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7b).
So, out back, they go to sleep in the barn. No amenities, no perks, no coffee maker or iPhone charger, no pillow-top mattress or remote control, just a humble place to lay their heads. I am sure that a bed of straw was not what they had in mind. But there they were, ready to rest. “And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered” (Luke 2:6).
So much for rest that night! The Messiah had come! And in a moment, within that humble stable, there was a king-sized bed; not one made by Sealy, Serta, or Spring-Air, but one supplied by the Spirit, hewn by hand, meant to feed the animals, now filled with the King of Kings. The King who would bring Peace on Earth, Goodwill, and Salvation to all.
I am sure it was not the king-sized bed they were looking for, but it was exactly what they needed. The comfort that Joseph and Mary sought at the inn came in the flesh; he was wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying on a king-sized bed. This King was to bring comfort not just to those in the stable that night. The Angel who announced the news to the shepherds said, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10).
All too often, we search for comfort in this world. We look for the king-sized beds of worldly pleasures, good feelings, and comfortable surroundings. What are you looking for this season? The decorations? The carols? The cookies? The presents? Worldly comfort or good feelings? In reality, our hearts do not have room for the Christ child. Our lives become so crowded with responsibilities or activities that the Christ child becomes an afterthought. We become too busy to see the truth because we, too, are looking for comfort.
The comfort of the Christ child comes at the cross, where Jesus takes your burdens and casts away your sorrows.
Are you weary from traveling the roads of this world? Are your feet sore from carrying a heavy load of guilt? Are you burdened with responsibilities? Are you looking for rest? Is your heart cluttered? Are you searching for comfort? Just look at the King-sized bed.
The comfort of the Christ child comes at the cross, where Jesus takes your burdens and casts away your sorrows. Where his blood, shed on the cross, removes your guilt and cleanses your heart from the clutter of the world. At the cross, the Christ child calls you to ponder at the wonder of it all. Perhaps the Christmas story itself is too cluttered. Let’s try this one:
God reached down, His love drew near,
A virgin bore a Son so dear.
No king-sized bed, no royal hall,
The Savior lay where oxen call.
Angels sang, “Good news, rejoice!”
Shepherds came at heaven’s voice.
The cattle lowed, the shepherds knelt,
Mary pondered all she felt.
God had come, so small, so true,
A humble King has come for you.
[1] Hymn #51 in Lutheran Book of Worship, stanza 12.
