Tag: Hospitality

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Bringing it full circle.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

This letter is from John, the elder. I am writing to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I love in the truth—as does everyone else who knows the truth— because the truth lives in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God the Father and from Jesus Christ—the Son of the Father—will continue to be with us who live in truth and love. How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded. ‭‭2 John‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John, writing to the Church and the children of the Church is ecstatic (exceedingly rejoicing) to find out that some are still walking with Jesus!

John says, he finds them “living according to the truth,” NLT translation. Here the Greek is much more specific and full of meaning. John uses the word, “peripatéō,” from two Greek words – walk and around. It’s a picture of completion, of closure, to walk around to complete a circuit or coming “full circle.” Whys that important? The old phrase, “God’s got no grandchildren,” comes to mind.

Each person, each family member needs to make their own decision of believing and following Jesus. Some believe, but don’t follow! Some seem to follow, but don’t really believe. Being raised in a Christian household or going to church their whole life, can be the best or the worst experience, depending on their own faith being anchored in Christ or casually taken as a family heritage. I’ve heard it said hundreds of times, “My FAMILY is…. Catholic.” Or whatever their religious experience growing up. There is more than just an age of accountability, knowing God exists. There is also an age of personal responsibility, a lifelong commitment to follow Christ.

John’s excitement is met with another possibility; some, but not all of our children will walk in truth 😢. There have been plenty of books, discussions and podcasts concerning the “children of the Church,” walking away from Jesus, from truth. Whether it’s church hurt, or they believe God is too boring or too weak, mean or unfair – some are not coming full circle of the faith of their parents or spiritual leaders.

Can we, as representatives of the chosen lady, the Church do better? Yes, we can and should! Yet, some will choose to believe and live for Christ and others will not. Should we love them any less, or treat them as apostates? Absolutely not. John’s admonition is to love ONE ANOTHER, but he takes a seriously hard line when it comes to the truth of Christ! He writes in vs 9-11, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.” I don’t plan on excommunicating anyone, nor denying children of the Church hospitality, but the seriousness of spurning Christ is real.

Prayer

Dad,
This is such a tough topic these days! I am sure there have been thousands of cycles of faith and denial over the eons. Are we in a period of a “cleansing of Your Church.” Is this the winnowing Jesus spoke of? It is so disheartening to hear of so many who seemingly gave up or walked away. Yet, I pray that your powerful grace and mercy, your rich love and kindness will lead all of those who’ve wandered, back to repentance, back home to you! Amen.

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One of these days, Chicken Little will be right.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It seems that every generation feels that things have gotten so bad, the end MUST be soon. I wonder if Noah thought the same thing – because, in his case, it was true! I don’t see a lot of apocalyptic references throughout the Old Testament, but there are a few. Isaiah, Daniel and Ezekiel have some visions of what the future held, and they were strange and mysterious.

For Peter to write the church and say this, he must have taken Jesus word’s seriously – he was coming back soon. John, the revelator writes, “behold I come quickly” Rev 22:12. But, what is quickly, especially to God, who is outside of time itself? FYI, I absolutely believe Jesus is returning and that God will wrap everything up according to his will and plan.

For us earth-bounders, we only see history and human behavior in cycles. Looking backward from these days, all the way to Peter’s days, we know that some behaviors have been atrociously worse. There have been so many global episodes of bad actors perpetuating on the masses in their respective domains of control. I have a friend who believes that earth is looking more like heaven than ever before! I don’t.

When Peter encourages the Church to be earnest in prayer, I wonder what that could have meant? In prayer for one another? It seems likely. Especially because he drops the famous line that “love covers a multitude of sins.” More sin, needs more prayer and more love, right? Then he backs up the idea of us needing MORE support while watching and waiting for the world to end with this – hospitality!

If you haven’t noticed even the entertainment industry has really ramped up the futuristic, syfi, apocalyptic shows and movies over the past few decades. Even non-believers in God are trying to figure out what the future holds. Of course, many of the future-casters are just trying to force behavioral change surrounding the hot topic of global climate change. In almost every one of their future scenarios, humans are the enemy that needs to be destroyed. Feels like they are just lashing out at God like petulant toddlers.

Peter reminds us that when everything gets bad, we should share goodness, like meals and shelter. If the global pandemic was a test run for an “end of the world” scenario, believers did NOT pass. I don’t think most of us were in a sharing and caring mood – we treated our own family members like the infected on The Walking Dead! There seems to be a particular idea from Peter that when the going gets tough, the tough should get together – not separate, and hunker down in isolation. I have a feeling we’ll get another chance when the next rotation of the “world ending” comes into view. We can do better then, right? One day, the sky will fall and this world will end. Chicken Little will be right.

Prayer

Dad,
I agree, things do look bleak. There is a lot going on in our country and in our world that makes us all nervous about the future. Yet, I know you hold the future! And, I know you are bringing about the most amazing plan of your Kingdom coming and your will being done! In that I find peace, comfort and even an excitement in the finality of waiting. I want to be ready. I want to stay alert and aware of what you are doing. This is not an escape prayer, but it is a “let it be done” prayer – Come quickly Lord Jesus!

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Last laugh.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees. “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked. “She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied. Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?” Genesis‬ ‭18‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Just another normal hot day on the plains of Canaan. By this time, Abraham had not only built up a sizable wealth with hundreds, maybe thousands of herds of cattle, sheep and possibly camels, he also had a good size army of warriors totaling over 300. Even though he was still a nomad, not owning his own land, he was a respected chief of a large community of families.

As you know, Eastern ancients on the plains or in the cities were extremely hospitable. Strangers were not only welcomed, but fed, housed and protected while they visited. Moses, who wrote Genesis, tells us that three visitors just happened to walk through Abraham’s very large compound. Moses, also identifies one of the visitors with a special title. The story begins with “three men,” then Abraham addresses one as “my Lord,” as a sign of respect. But then one of them is soon addressed as “The Lord.” “Then the Lord said to Abraham, ‘why did Sarah laugh?”

This was no normal day, and no regular visitor. This was a visitation of Jesus, known as a “theophany.” Jesus and two other angels were on their way to Sodom and Gomorrah to check out the rumors of the city’s sin – “So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant.” Gen. ‭18‬:‭20‬. Am I to understand that Jesus showed up in the Old Testament to randomly stop by Abraham’s large community to tell him that his 90 year wife was soon to be pregnant? And Jesus does so while on the way to personally, physically checkout sin city? Yep!

This was not, is not normal at all. Sarah, overhearing what the men were talking about, gets an earful when the Lord says to Abraham, “I’ll be back next year and will get to meet your son, your bio-son.” Ya know, the one God promised to Abraham in Genesis 15:4, where his descendants will be more numerable than the stars in the night sky. Remember that? “And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.” Gen. 15‬:‭6‬.

So laugh all you want to Sarah, doubt all you want old men and women. God keeps His word! God has big plans, unstoppable plans for the entire planet. Those who believe in Jesus, should start adjusting to the fact that God knows what He is doing. We should, as Abraham originally did, “believe the Lord,” which is seen as righteousness to God. Faith is necessary and pleasing to God. Just for the record, God may in fact get a giggle when we snicker at the impossible. God’s like, look and learn who gets the last laugh!

Prayer

Dad,
You see how fragile our faith is and how weak our belief and trust in you can be. I take it that the lack of faith in all of us came with the whole sin package? It’s frustrating for us too! I want to, we all want to believe, but it is hard to trust. It’s hard to see what cannot be seen and believe what is not apparent. Even when you do miracles and speak your Word, literal truth into us, we forget! Jesus even said, THAT is the world’s sin – we don’t believe in you. We so quickly forget your miracles, forget your promises. We go back to leaning on and living by our own understanding! This is what makes this human journey so frustrating. I identify with the father who’s son had a demon in him. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Help me not to forget your Word nor your promises!

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Living with one foot raised.

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.” Luke‬ ‭10:5-7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Travel was expected. These verses bring back memories. At one point in my life I was, as they say, an itinerant missionary. My travel days were light compared to my boss. I was out maybe 60 days a year, my boss, at least 150 days a year. So, yes, he had more air miles, car rental and hotel perks because he was a frequent traveler and fiercely loyal to his membership status. He also had far more travel stories while staying with people, in their homes. Dogs that guarded his door so he couldn’t use the restroom. Waking up with a cat sleeping ON his neck. Staying with a young couple who was pregnant and the guest room was next to the restroom where the wife had to frequently un-accommodate her stomach contents. Even his hotel stays were a series of midnight mishaps mostly mistaking the main door for the restroom, only to find himself locked out in his skivvies.

My home stays however we’re delightful and memorable. When I stayed with retired couples we would often stay up late into the night (like 10pm 😂) talking about God and the church. When I stayed with families with littles or youth it was a joy just to be a part of the holy-chaos of evening homework or morning exit plans. I always prayed WITH and for the families I had the honor to stay with. Every single one of them were peaceful and the “blessing” stood! Even though I was away from home, in a strange sense I felt like I was staying with family. This is how the body of Christ functions. There was a bond of kinship and care and I deeply appreciated it. Sometimes I was able to return for multiple years and could watch the family grow and change as well.

My boss had this idea that Christianity and followers of Jesus should provide what he called “Radical Hospitality.” I guess he was old-school that way. Having experienced a sense that God’s work is “out there,” and often finding a sense of home where there are these pockets of hospitality.

In the book Heroic Leadership, Lowney writes, “when people see the whole world as their home, they can turn a hopeful, interested, and optimistic gaze toward new ideas, cultures, places, and opportunities. By freeing themselves from inordinate attachments that could inhibit risk taking or innovation, they become poised to pounce imaginatively on new opportunities. And by looking at the future with optimism, they become more likely to find those opportunities and solutions. Loyola called it “living with one foot raised.” Jesus called his followers to live with this idea that our lives should not be so static that we never experience new or unknown, but to live fluid enough to raise a foot and go out – go forward in and with our faith.

Prayer

Dad,
I get far too comfortable when living or existing in one place. I probably yearn for a sense of safety and security as much as the next person, but I tasted adventure. I saw opportunity open up before my very eyes as I got out, or away from the familiar and the mundane. It was odd that after a few years of these “road trips,” I had grown accustom, not exactly comfortable, but prepared for what “travel” brings. Delayed flights, lost reservations or luggage, just the unfamiliarity of my destination. I got used to a loss of control. But in those moments, I was also learning that you are IN CONTROL and had a plan, or an alternate plan. Maybe even a better plan that I could have never made happen. My trust, my faith increased with unfamiliar, unstable, unpredictable moments. Thank you.