No room at the Inn
What’s happening in this scene?
Mary gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Luke’s Gospel chapter 2 verse 7
God had planned this even longer ago
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
Isaiah chapter 61 verses 1-3
What does it mean today?
Jesus came into the world in poverty, without proper shelter or the warmth and support of family and friends. It was a dark, lonely beginning, among the least and the lost, and could easily have been ignored altogether. But it was for people and situations just like these that God sent Jesus – with a message of welcome for the outsider and good news for those who seem to have lost everything.
How can we respond?
inHope is a Christian charity which has been serving the most vulnerable and marginalised people in Bristol for over 30 years. They seek a fairer and more just society; free from poverty and hunger; free from oppression and discrimination; free from homelessness and isolation. You can read more about inHope’s work here.
If you’d like to help someone who is experiencing homelessness or poverty this Christmas, here are a couple of ways you might like to do so:
- At this Station, we are collecting donations for the East Bristol Foodbank, which is run by inHope and provides emergency food parcels to those living in poverty. You can view a list of items that they are particularly in need of at this time.
- You can buy one of the essential items from inHope’s online Christmas donation shop* which they will gift on your behalf to someone who needs it.
*This link takes you away from the Long Ashton Christmas Trail website.
