The Lonely Donkey-- Part Three
"I'm very sorry," said the inn keeper, "but I just don't have any rooms left. It seems as if all of Judea is coming to
"Thank you very much," said Joseph, "we will be happy to stay there. Please can you find us some blankets or something? Mary must have a place to lay."
The inn keeper brought some blankets and led the way to the stable. He showed them into a small room with several animals. Donkey stepped gently over the threshold and stood gazing around. This would just have to do since there was no better place. Joseph spread the blankets, then lifted Mary from Donkey’s back to them. Then he led Donkey over to the wall and unsaddled him.
A little while later Donkey heard some strange sounds coming from the other side of the stable. It sounded like a child crying, but no, that was impossible. Very slowly he walked over to the manger and, lo and behold, there wrapped in shining white linen lay a beautiful baby. Donkey had never seen a baby before but even if he had, he'd have known this was someone special.
The baby lay there with a radiant glow surrounding him. Donkey was enchanted. He had never seen anything so beautiful, so precious. Joseph came over to Donkey and patted him. The doves in the rafters cooed gently and the tiny baby closed his eyes.
"He's sleeping now," said Mary.
Donkey didn’t know what to do. Never before in his life had he felt such a sense of peace. Everything was all right. Mary was comfortable, Joseph was happy and this baby seemed to glorify everything around him.
This was no longer a rude stable, but a magnificent palace and Donkey was very happy and proud to be part of the scene.
Mary picked the baby up in her arms and looked at Donkey. "His name is Jesus," she said. Jesus smiled and Donkey almost smiled too. Just then they heard a tap on the door. Joseph hurried to open it and there was a group of shepherds.
One of the shepherds asked of Joseph, "Have you a tiny baby here, lying in a manger?"
"Why, yes," replied Joseph. "He was born just this evening. Come in and see him if you will."
"Thank you," replied the shepherds, and they came into the stable to see and admire the baby. Donkey stood back and watched the shepherds. They too thought the baby was unusual. They said, "The angels visited us this night and told us to come, visit the King, here in a stable in
Donkey’s eyes began to shine. Everything was so wonderful. Here in this small stable lay a beautiful baby, the King of the Jews.
The shepherds soon left and Donkey could hear them singing for joy. He was so happy, he almost wished he could sing as the shepherds were doing. He stepped forward again, just to peek at the beautiful baby. Will wonders never cease? The baby looked right at him. Donkey shyly looked back and right then, he knew he loved the baby with all his donkey devotion. Nothing would be this perfect again. Donkey sighed a deep sigh and Joseph softly stroked his neck.
A few nights later Donkey was quietly dozing in a corner when he heard someone knocking at the stable. Standing in the doorway were three magnificently dressed men. They had long costly robes, crowns on their heads and each had a present in his hands.
"Is this where a baby was born?" one of them asked. "For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. The star led us all the way from a far country and then came to rest over this rude stable. The babe is to be a great King. Please, may we see him?"
"Yes," said Joseph. "Come right this way."
The wise men walked into the room and bent over the manager. The three worshiped the small baby for a few moments, then each laid his present at the feet of the Christ Child. One was gold, another was a rich perfume and the last a spicy oil; all Kingly gifts. After praising the child a bit more, they left.
Mary looked at Donkey as if to say, see Donkey this, our baby, is well blessed and will be loved by many. And Donkey agreed with her. How could anyone not love this precious infant?
Look for the final installment Dec. 30
posted by Lauraine Snelling | 3:58 PM
<< Home