When There was no Room at the Inn

   Every innkeeper said the same thing. No room. Mary’s cries were breaking Joseph’s heart. He feared Mary would be delivering the baby right there in the street. Silently, he prayed to God for an answer and His Heavenly Father heard his cry.
    “Joseph!”
   “Heli!” Joseph hugged his surprised father-in-law with all his might. “Praise the Lord we have found you! Mary is about to bring your grandson into the world and there are no rooms available anywhere. Please tell me you have found a room somewhere.”
   “There are no rooms available, Joseph, not anywhere. But –”
   “Have you seen my father?” Joseph interrupted. “Surely, he would have found something by now.”           

   “I have not seen Jacob at all. But let me tell you –”
   “Oh, Joseph, please help me!” Mary cried from the back of the wagon. “It’s getting closer!”
   “Heli, what are we to do? She can’t have the baby in the street!”
   “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, Joseph. We have a place.” Heli grabbed the reigns of the oxen from Joseph and started to drive them through the crowd.
   “A room? You have a room? Well, why didn’t you say so?”  Joseph sighed with relief. “Mary, it’s all right, we are going to our room now. Can you hang on?”
   “I don’t know, Joseph. Please hurry!” she sobbed. They went as quickly as they could to the far end of the street, where Heli directed Joseph to the back of an inn. 
    “What’s this?” Joseph asked as they neared the entrance to the stables.
    “Your room,” Heli declared as he carefully retrieved Mary from the back of the cart.
    “You can’t be serious?” Joseph protested as he watched Heli carry Mary to a stall in the back of the stable. “Heli, she cannot give birth in a stable.” 
    Heli laid his daughter on a fresh bed of hay covered with a blanket. He stood, then turned to face his bewildered son-in-law. 
    “She can and she will. It’s clean, it’s warm, and it’s private.” Heli was adamant and Joseph could tell by the look on his face that his father-in-law would not change his mind.
    “It’s fine, Joseph,” Mary whispered, her strength waning. “It’s fine.”
   Joseph, clearly at a loss, looked to Rebekah, who arrived with warm water and fresh cloths. Surely, she would agree with him. Mary could not give birth here – could she?
    Rebekah pleaded silently for Heli to take Joseph outside. She placed a comforting arm on her son-in-law and said, “It is as it should be, Joseph. We have cleaned out the stall. We have fresh hay. We are even using the cattle’s feeding trough as a little crib for the baby. Go now. Mary will be fine.”