Friday, March 5, 2010

Notes to the Lord: Hospitality Expected


Scripture Reflections Matthew 10:11-15

11"Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.

Lord Jesus--Therewas a tradition of hospitality in Your time. Help me to create that same kind of hospitable sense in the interaction of my life...that people feel a sense of welcome in their interactions with me. That was what You sent the disciples looking for when they were on Your mission.

Would my home be a home that could sustain the peace that comes from Your hand Jesus? ...Only because of Your mercy extended to me.

Lord Jesus--Someone said to me the other day that they only hoped at some point they would be worthy of heaven...I get it. Heaven is some place that is going to be the shock of a life time. I am fully convinced that I will not fit in, I am sure that I will do the socially unacceptable thing there just like I do here. ...at least to begin with.

But the worthy part...the thing is I will never, never be worthy of heavens gates. Not by any stretch of the word "worthy." It is only because of Your amazing grace, Your scandalous grace because of your sacrifice for me that I will get in the front door of heaven.

14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Harsh words, but they are framed with the context of miracles happening at the hands of the disciples...dead people breathing again, leprous hands and feet replaced, sick people restored to health. In the middle of such an outpouring of God's Spirit rejection becomes a statement.

Lord Jesus the prayer of my heart is to see the Spirit of God move with such grace and power that a lack of welcome would again be a statement not so much against an individual, or a church as against the movement of God Spirit of God. Do it again Lord Jesus in this place and in this age. Move with power and grace.

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