Daily Worship

Hospitality: here for you - our promise to the stranger?

October 22, 2012 0 0

Matt 25:42-45

​“Then he will say, ‘Depart from me , you who are cursed… 

 for I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat.

 I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink.

I was a stranger and you did not invite me in.

I needed clothes and you did not clothe me.

I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do 

for one of the least of these,

you did not do it for me.”

​The theme for this week but the question mark is mine, Lord, because I’m not sure what this really means in practice…and You do always  seem to ask for the practice.

HOSPITALITY – the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers.

PROMISE- a declaration or assurance that one will definitely do something.

STRANGER – a person whom one does not know or is not familiar with.

Well, those are the dictionary definitions  but it’s not really getting to Your heart of it, is it, Lord?  

It’s these three key words all in the same sentence…

Lord,  I really do need your help with this.

So this is my prayer today, Lord:

Please keep those words in my mind and heart, to ponder on.

When I say, “I’m here for you”, what do I mean and what SHOULD I mean?

And when I make a promise, do I understand the full weight of that word, the binding assurance that it implies?

And how does this look in my life and in my contact with others? With strangers?

And how do I do it…. Your way?

Dear Lord, thank you for this challenge.  

I have a feeling that this might be going outside the old comfort zone. 

But then, You often lead there, don’t You? 

-

 

written by Ginni Auld