Post by WWJDthrume on Aug 23, 2004 11:46:04 GMT -5
Hoping for the right hand of fellowship, did you ever receive the 'left foot' instead? That feeling that you are tolerated, but not welcome. Allowed, but not accepted. Or maybe even worse. I think everyone has experienced that at one time or another in their lives.
The Bible tells us to practice hospitality. Hospitality can be as simple as a warm greeting that makes the recipient feel welcome. It can be as elaborate as hosting a group on tour for a month. Or just about anything in between. I remember reading Karen Mainz's book 'Open Heart, Open Home', where she talks about the spiritual gift of hospitality. It isn't about the fancy China or super clean house. You can be hospitable with paper plates and a messier than you wish it were house. It is an attitude of the heart.
I was the recipient once of some horrid hospitality from some professing Christians. We all worked as Christian singer-songwriter artists who were signed to the same booking, management and record label. We were getting together for the Annual Christian music event in the Rockies and were renting a house together. The other women had been doing this together for a few years and were close friends. I knew that going in. I was picked up by one of them at the local shuttle from the airport and asked if I wanted to get anything at the grocery store since we were nearby. I did and picked up a few lean cuisine's and some snacks.
When we got to the house it was beautiful. Right on a thundering mountain stream with a beautiful deck and an open floor plan. My room was in the basement. I am a pretty good sport and since they had been doing this for years I didn't expect the Master Bedroom. I went to put my groceries away and I could barely fit them in the fridge. There was all kinds of fresh produce and meat and gourmet foods. The 3 women prepared elaborate meals every night and one had even brought her Cappuccino machine.
The whole week I had witnessed their elaborate meals and had not been offered even a Cappucino although they commented they couldn't believe I would drink instant coffee. While they made their dinner and had their Cappuccino's I nuked my lean cuisine and went to the basement. I was working on learning a Don Francisco song 'Adam'. The second verse speaks about Adam after his fall from Grace and a concluding thought is 'He eats his bread in sorrow, till he sinks into the dust from whence he came'. It was so depressing. I burst into tears and just felt so rejected. This experience was bringing to mind other experiences I'd had where I felt this awful feeling of being unwelcome.
I had been working on putting together a music program to bring to churches. I usually like to find a thought or a message to link the songs and stories. I had been having a difficult time finding something I particularly wanted to express. Ultimately the idea I finally thought was worth communicating is in these closing words.
Imagine you have spent the day hiking in the Adirondack mountain's. It is fall and the day has been beautiful. Sunny and mild. But now the sun is setting and the air is getting colder. You pull your jacket around you tighter and try to figure out where you can get a meal and a room. Off in the distance you see a light on a hill. It isn't too far and you arrive a short while later glad to see such a place on what is now a cold and dark night. You climb the steps to the Inn and look through the window. You see a glowing fire in a huge fireplace. In front of the fireplace is a large table with people talking and laughing and eating. The table is spread with all kinds of food. Fruits, breads, meats and cheese. You are really starting to feel hungry now. You knock on the door but no one hears you. You feel a little embarrassed and knock a little louder. A few guests look, but don't bother to get up or acknowledge you. A cold gust blows by and you are beginning to despair.
Then you look at the head of the table and see Jesus. He looks up and notices you. He immediately sends someone to open the door for you and invite you in. He motions for another person to bring a chair for you and has it set down next to him. He welcomes you. And you feel like you are home.
Maybe you are already at the table with Jesus. Comfortable, eating, talking and laughing. Oblivious to the person outside the door who is hungry. Jesus wants you to look to see who is standing outside the door, gazing thru the window and longing to come in. Invite them. He wants you to get them a chair and make them feel welcome at his table.
Perhaps you are the person who has been standing outside the door looking in; thinking no one sees me, no one cares. Jesus sees you and he cares for you. He welcomes you to his table and wants it to be your home. He wants to meet your needs; whether it is a physical hunger or a spiritual hunger. Whether it is for a place to sleep for the night or a place of rest from your struggles.
He says 'Come unto me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest'. He offers to carry the loads that are too big for us to carry. Even the load of our sins. He extends his invitation to come to him, all day, every day. It is an Invitation to Grace.
The Bible tells us to practice hospitality. Hospitality can be as simple as a warm greeting that makes the recipient feel welcome. It can be as elaborate as hosting a group on tour for a month. Or just about anything in between. I remember reading Karen Mainz's book 'Open Heart, Open Home', where she talks about the spiritual gift of hospitality. It isn't about the fancy China or super clean house. You can be hospitable with paper plates and a messier than you wish it were house. It is an attitude of the heart.
I was the recipient once of some horrid hospitality from some professing Christians. We all worked as Christian singer-songwriter artists who were signed to the same booking, management and record label. We were getting together for the Annual Christian music event in the Rockies and were renting a house together. The other women had been doing this together for a few years and were close friends. I knew that going in. I was picked up by one of them at the local shuttle from the airport and asked if I wanted to get anything at the grocery store since we were nearby. I did and picked up a few lean cuisine's and some snacks.
When we got to the house it was beautiful. Right on a thundering mountain stream with a beautiful deck and an open floor plan. My room was in the basement. I am a pretty good sport and since they had been doing this for years I didn't expect the Master Bedroom. I went to put my groceries away and I could barely fit them in the fridge. There was all kinds of fresh produce and meat and gourmet foods. The 3 women prepared elaborate meals every night and one had even brought her Cappuccino machine.
The whole week I had witnessed their elaborate meals and had not been offered even a Cappucino although they commented they couldn't believe I would drink instant coffee. While they made their dinner and had their Cappuccino's I nuked my lean cuisine and went to the basement. I was working on learning a Don Francisco song 'Adam'. The second verse speaks about Adam after his fall from Grace and a concluding thought is 'He eats his bread in sorrow, till he sinks into the dust from whence he came'. It was so depressing. I burst into tears and just felt so rejected. This experience was bringing to mind other experiences I'd had where I felt this awful feeling of being unwelcome.
I had been working on putting together a music program to bring to churches. I usually like to find a thought or a message to link the songs and stories. I had been having a difficult time finding something I particularly wanted to express. Ultimately the idea I finally thought was worth communicating is in these closing words.
Imagine you have spent the day hiking in the Adirondack mountain's. It is fall and the day has been beautiful. Sunny and mild. But now the sun is setting and the air is getting colder. You pull your jacket around you tighter and try to figure out where you can get a meal and a room. Off in the distance you see a light on a hill. It isn't too far and you arrive a short while later glad to see such a place on what is now a cold and dark night. You climb the steps to the Inn and look through the window. You see a glowing fire in a huge fireplace. In front of the fireplace is a large table with people talking and laughing and eating. The table is spread with all kinds of food. Fruits, breads, meats and cheese. You are really starting to feel hungry now. You knock on the door but no one hears you. You feel a little embarrassed and knock a little louder. A few guests look, but don't bother to get up or acknowledge you. A cold gust blows by and you are beginning to despair.
Then you look at the head of the table and see Jesus. He looks up and notices you. He immediately sends someone to open the door for you and invite you in. He motions for another person to bring a chair for you and has it set down next to him. He welcomes you. And you feel like you are home.
Maybe you are already at the table with Jesus. Comfortable, eating, talking and laughing. Oblivious to the person outside the door who is hungry. Jesus wants you to look to see who is standing outside the door, gazing thru the window and longing to come in. Invite them. He wants you to get them a chair and make them feel welcome at his table.
Perhaps you are the person who has been standing outside the door looking in; thinking no one sees me, no one cares. Jesus sees you and he cares for you. He welcomes you to his table and wants it to be your home. He wants to meet your needs; whether it is a physical hunger or a spiritual hunger. Whether it is for a place to sleep for the night or a place of rest from your struggles.
He says 'Come unto me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest'. He offers to carry the loads that are too big for us to carry. Even the load of our sins. He extends his invitation to come to him, all day, every day. It is an Invitation to Grace.
