While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she 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 2.6-7
Now, you would think that if God so rules the world as to use an empire-wide census to bring Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, he surely could have seen to it that a room was available in the inn. Well, yes. He could have. Jesus could have been born to a wealthy family. He could have turned stones into bread in the wilderness. He could have called 10,000 angels to his aid in Gethsemane. He could have come dow from the cross and saved himself.
The question is not what God could do, but what he willed to do.
God's will was that through Christ was rich, yet "for your sake he became poor" (2 Corinthians 8.9). The "No Vacancy" signs over all the motels in Bethlehem were for your sake. God rules all things--even motel capacities--for the sake of his children. The Calvary road begins with a "No Vacancy" sign in Bethlehem and ends with the spitting and scoffing of the cross in Jerusalem.
We must not forget that he said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross" (Matthew 16.24). We join him on the Calvary road and hear him say, "Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecuted you" (John 15.20).
To the one who calls out enthusiastically, "I will follow you wherever you go!" (Matthew 8.19), Jesus responds, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head" (Matthew 8.20).
Yes, God could have seen to it that Jesus had a room at his birth. But that would have been a detour off the Calvary road.
This is a excerpt from 'Joy to the World-Daily Readings for Advent' by John Piper.
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