Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 12, 2020
By Guest Writer: Cassie Pattillo
Find part one here: Practice Genuine Hospitality (Part One of Two)
Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:13
Though biblical hospitality is ordinary, there are sacrifices to be made. In order to use our homes to love others well, we’ll sacrifice money, time, and comforts. We might even sacrifice pride as we discipline children in front of others. Biblical hospitality forces us to be real. At church, it’s often easy to put on a smile and hide our sin. However, when we truly invite people into our homes and lives, they might see moments of panic as the bread burns, or our frustration toward misbehaving children. However, it’s in these moments of real where we can point to the very real grace of Jesus.
Biblical hospitality is more than fancy dinner parties. It’s a lifestyle. It’s using living rooms to disciple. It’s using kitchens to cook for new moms. It’s using grocery shopping time to pick up needs for others. It’s using kitchen tables to make someone feel welcome. It’s inviting others into our lives- messiness and all. Though it can be messy, biblical hospitality is also beautiful. There’s something about sharing a meal that welcomes true fellowship. As we love others in very ordinary ways, I believe the Lord will give us the opportunity to share the Gospel and disciple them. Ultimately, we show hospitality because it’s a small glimpse of the Gospel. The Father loves us despite our baggage and sin, and in Christ, he gives us a seat at his table. The least we can do is open our homes and hearts to give a seat at our table to others who need the good news of the gospel.
Friends, biblical hospitality starts in our hearts (and is something I’m very much a work-in-progress on). We need to ask the Lord to open our hearts to welcome others into our lives. We need his help to desire pleasing the Lord, not man. When pleasing man is the goal, we get caught up with impressing guests. However, when our aim is to please the Lord, we’ll love others as he calls us to. We need to ditch the lie that our homes have to be perfectly decorated in order to show hospitality. We must lay aside our excuses and fears and open our doors and hearts. We must take our eyes off ourselves and look to the needs of others.
This world isn’t our home. Our money and possessions will one day fade. The question is, will we use these fading things for the unfading glory of God? Will we use them to build our kingdom, that will one day crumble, or God’s Kingdom, that’s eternal? May we open our hearts, homes, and grocery lists in radically ordinary ways, so others will see the radical love of Christ!
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God” (Acts 16:30-34).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, grow my heart of hospitality to be for loving others, not impressing others, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Application
Consider the Journeywoman podcast: Hospitality in the Midst of a Crisis
Related Reading
2 Kings 4:10; Job 31:32; 1 Timothy 3:2, 5:10; Hebrews 13:2
Enjoy Boyd’s newest and well loved 40 day devotional book: Wisdom For Living. Wise living is all about the Lord Jesus Christ. What is His best? What is His will?
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When our aim is to please the Lord, we’ll love others as he calls us to with warm hospitality. #WisdomHunters #hospitality #truth #Jesus
Worship Resource
11 minute video: Tasha Cobbs Leonard:
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