Hello All,
I started a new bible study today. It seems like I am constantly finishing up one study and then going onto the next one. I find it is one of the ways to stay in God's word with this busy season of life. This particular study is entitled Hospitality from She Reads Truth
I love the idea of Hospitality and in my head I picture every person I know coming for dinner or brunch or just tea on a regular basis!!
These were the verses to read today: Romans 12:9-13, Matthew 9:9-13, Matthew 19:13-14
--Showing love--affectionate--preferring one another--not lazy--giving our best effort--serving the Lord
--patient in getting things ready and prepared--praying throughout--beforehand, during, end--given to hospitality--second nature, not arduous/not grudgingly
--Invited all walks of life to join for supper--chose to eat with all types--serve the lost--do not hesitate to show hospitality to our children--show hospitality to those newly come to the Lord....
I always find it amazing how the Lord directs issues in my life....I am currently reading The Rewards of Fasting by Mike Bickle and Dana Candler...one of the areas of a fasted lifestyle is serving....and this from what I read just today..."Serving others is the second of the charitable deeds Jesus spoke about. In spending our time and energy on others we are fasting what we could have used to further our own interests. .....We are spending that time for the benefit of others. This is at the heart of what it means to have a servant spirit....we trust the Lord to work for our increase in a way that surpasses what we could have accomplished by spending that very same amount of time on our comfort...we get more done by investing time in serving and allowing God to reward our labors."
You just can't put this stuff together on your own, God orchestrates all of this for His glory. That last paragraph goes hand in hand with hospitality. To get in the mindset to serve and to do so willingly, readily, to not belabor the preparations, but to go in with an open heart, one of weakness, that I cannot accomplish it on my own but only through the Lord..... That I cannot do anything to make the event/meal worthy, it is only through letting the Lord have control and a desire to glorify Him that I can serve and offer hospitality to others...
Looking back at my notes I am seeing key words that stand out at me....love, and that starts in the heart, not a just love to do it to show off, but a love of those coming to visit and a love for the Savior. A strong desire to serve. I see what I wrote down as not being lazy, not the exact word in the bible, I think the word was slothful....but if we are going to invite people over even if the house is a mess, give our best effort. We may not have the best stocked pantry, but give what we can at all times.
I see the word P.A.T.I.E.N.C.E.....oh my that one speaks volumes to me...I get so wrapped up at times being the "Martha" of hospitality...the stress involved because I want it just perfect....because in my head that is what it would like if I did not have 6 children going from room to room throughout the day.....instead I do have the 6 children in this season of life, and I need to embrace this when it comes to hospitality and not let the little messes overwhelm me so that I don't enjoy the upcoming event. I need to rest in the Lord that if he allowed the hospitality to take place He would allow the grace to overflow me so that others would not be sitting there looking at my little messes but enjoying the time.
I think I am not the only one in this position...I don't know if it comes from the fact that we have seen to many Martha Stewart shows and the glossy magazine photo's of perfect tables and family rooms or what, but when you have six children there is bound to be a dirty sock someplace out of order or at least 20 random Lego's about the house..... I just need to stop stressing about all of those, and celebrate that the Lord has blessed me with company....
Praying....anyone else ever thought about praying for an upcoming meal with friends....FAIL over here....it just did not dawn on me...the one person who can make it all so much easier for me if I would just ask HIM....praying!!!
The verses also spoke to me about serving my own family....How many times a week or a month do we look at serving the next meal as something to cross off the list, or something we are forced to do, or grudgingly, or as an afterthought.....SERVE, serve our family, put our love into our efforts, give our family the best we can....not saying it has to be served like at a 5 star restaurant, but just thought out, not thrown together...prioritize, plan, prepare....
So this is the first day of the study, if you care to join in and comment as we go along for the next three weeks it would be great to hear your input.
Have a blessed evening,
Melissa
