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TheDiscipleMD

A number of years ago my wife and I took a weekend trip to Pennsylvania. Our excursion was sudden and unplanned. We got into the car on a Friday afternoon with the intent of returning home to Maryland by Sunday. Upon our arrival to one of our favorite destinations, we attempted to get a hotel room. We stopped at a local hotel to inquire of rates only to find that they were full. “Odd”, I thought to myself, as it wasn’t a particularly busy time of year for the area. We stopped at another hotel down the road. They too were full. I walked back to the car and told my wife how strange it was that they were also full. We entered “lodging” into the GPS and got a whole list of local hotels and their phone numbers. Upon calling, one after another informed me that they were full. Finally I inquired of one hotel clerk, “Why is everything full around here. I can’t seem to find a room?” He replied, “There is a huge youth soccer tournament this weekend. You probably won’t be able to find a room within twenty miles of here!” And I found out that he was right. We spent the entire night driving around before we finally found a room at some Podunk motel, in a tiny town outside of Philadelphia many miles from our desired destination. It resembled the famed “Bates Motel”. At some point in your life, I’m sure that many of you have had a similar experience in finding “no room in the inn”.

All of us are familiar with the following verse of scripture.

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7)

In recalling my experience that night in Pennsylvania I can relate, in a small way, to the frustration that must have been Joseph’s, when he found that the only place available for his expectant wife was a stable. I don’t know how many “Inns” Bethlehem had, but I’m sure because of the “taxing tournament” that was going on, rooms were at prime. Joseph, like myself, had to settle for accommodations that were less desirable than what he wanted for his wife.

Jesus Christ who was born in that stable, because there was “no room in the inn”, talked of housing often. But it was about housing of an eternal nature. He said, “In My Fathers house are many mansions:…I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2) In the Doctrine and Covenants it is recorded, “For he who is faithful and wise in time is accounted worthy to inherit the mansions prepared for him of my Father. (D&C 72:4)

I know how I felt that night when I couldn’t find an adequate hotel for my wife. I can only imagine the agony of Joseph when he couldn’t find a proper place for his wife to give birth to the Savior of the world. If I felt badly about a two-night accommodation that lacked, how might I feel if I am not worthy to provide my wife with one of our Fathers best mansions for the eternities?

The wonderful thing about our Father’s house is that there is always room for one more. We will never hear “I’m sorry, but there is no room in the inn”. If we live our lives according to the commandments of God, the day will come when husbands and wives will hear the voice of the Savior say, as he did to Enos, “Come unto me ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father.” (Enos 1:27) On a personal note, I know my wife wouldn’t want anything less than a bath that is equipped with a Jacuzzi!