Radical Hospitality

From today's reading:  The Golden Rule   12  "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12

Many people at Grace Church in Alvin have accepted the Bible Challenge to read the whole Bible in one year.  Today's readings are Gen. 19-22, Psalm 7 and Matthew 7.  Much of the reading has to do with hospitality acccording to Old Testament rules.  You see a positive example in Lot who invites the strangers in and feeds them and keeps them safe.  That is contrasted with the people of Sodom who are intent on abusing the strangers.  So what are the things we are to do to be hospitable in today's world?

Jesus gives us the answer to the hospitality question in the reading from Matthew.  Every religion has some form of the "Golden Rule," but in the other forms, it is always a passive statement - "don't do to others what you don't what them to do to you..." in other words, don't do bad things to other people.  But what Jesus says is a positive, active statement - DO to others - what you would like for them to do for you, IF your positions were reversed.  

Radical hospitality is a Christian ideal that has been in place for 2000 years.  This doesn't mean that we have to be a doormat for people, but we can live our life by being aware of the world and the people around us and the situations and needs that present themselves.    

Lord, as I walk through this day, help me to see places where I can be a positive and redeeming influence for others.  Amen.

Test everything, hold fast to what is good.

From today's reading:  Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets. but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.  1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

Test everything, hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.  Great advice - sometimes harder in the execution.  You would think that all forms of evil should be outlandishly and outrageously obvious.  But that is not always the case.  Often times, the things that seem most attractive, and even innocent, can eventually lead to various forms of evil.  When we get too far into entitlement mode (you know, when you think, "why not me?") that is when we risk Satan's invitation.  That is when we need to remember to test everything, to hold fast to that which is good, and cast away that which is risky.  And trust the Spirit to guide you at all time.  He who is faithful will never let you down.

Lord, when temptations come, help me to recognize them and to walk away from their attractiveness and not to fall into their trap.  Guide me by your word and your Spirit, that I may make right choices and walk in your ways.  Amen. 

Faith, hope and love - these three remain

From today's reading:  Since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.  1 Thessalonians 5:8

Paul is encouraging the Thessalonians to remain faithful in their life in Christ.  Too often the human response to the trials of this life is to run away and hide under a rock.  Here Paul gives us images that can help us to stand firm and upright.  Not unlike his letter to the Ephesians, we hear these images of armor - the breastplate that protects the Roman soldier in battle and his helmet.  Here Paul suggests a breastplate of faith and love, to remind us of Christ and protect us from the spiritual anarchy that often swirls around us.   And he suggests a helmet consisting of the hope of salvation that will keep us ever positive in the face of adversity.  Paul cares forthose he ministers to and always tries to give them tools to cope with their situations.  We can use those same tools in our own lives.

Lord, keep us ever mindful that your love surrounds us and protects us like a breastplate so that our faith in you can remain firm and undaunted.  Help us to always keep the helmet of hope in place so that we know that you are ever with us and protecting us in all the cares of this life.  Thank you, Lord, for your son, Jesus, and for the teaching of your servant, Paul.  May we look to you in all things at all times through the power and leading of your Holy Spirit. Amen

Psalm 20

From today's reading:  Psalm 20

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble,*

the Name of the God of Jacob defend you;

2 Send you help from his holy place *

and strengthen you out of Zion;

3 Remember all your offerings *

and accept your burnt sacrifice;

4 Grant you your heart's desire *

and prosper all your plans.

May your day be blessed and full of joy.  Amen.

For love of God and neighbor

From today's reading:  You will show me the path of life; *

in your presence there is fullness of joy, and in your right hand 

are pleasures for evermore.  Psalm 16:11

I had trouble reading the Psalm today - I wanted to sing it.  These are the words for John Foley's song, "For You are my God."  For you are my God, you alone are my joy.  Defend me, O Lord.  As we came out of church one Sunday, a young man asked me, "I thought I heard him say we are to love God first above everything else.  My father always taught me that you should love family above every thing else."  

The young man had heard correctly.  We are to love God above all, because it is in God's perfect love that we learn to love family and others more perfectly.  Without God's perfect love, other love runs the risk of becoming possessive or even obsessive.  Loving God first keeps all else in perspective.

Another verse says, "You give marvelous comrades to me."  God does place wonderful people in our path to accompany us on our journey through life.  These are the ones that we are to love with the love born of God.  And if we allow him to, God will guide us through the maze that we call life.  We don't have to struggle with all the questions that arise, God will be with us and lead us to right decisions and actions.

Loving God, help us to love those around us more perfectly remembering that we are all made in your image.  Open our eyes and ears to following your leading to reach out in love to a broken and hurting world.  Amen.

St. Nicholas, the giver of gifts

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 1 Thessalonians 3:12

Here we are in Advent and today we celebrate Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Turkey.  St. Nicholas was a compassionate man who loved God and people.  The story goes: there was a man in town who had three daughters, but lacked suitable dowries for his daughters so that they could not get married.  To save them from a lifetime of prostitution, Nicholas walked by the house on three consecutive nights and threw a bag of money into a window so that the three girls could be married.  Nicholas thereby became the patron saint for anonymous gift giving.

Tomorrow, we are getting together with other members of Sam's high school class for lunch.  We decided that each of us would bring a toy for the Blue Santa gift drive.  This is a prime example of anonymous gift giving.  We trust that needy kids will have a very merry Christmas because of the generosity of others in the spirit of St. Nicholas.

Lord, give us a heart after the heart of Nicholas.  Open our eyes to see where there is need, and open our hearts to reach out as our ability allows to help others in their necessity.  Help us to shine a light into the darkness and give hope to a broken and hurting world.   Amen.

Come, let us go to the house of the Lord

From today's reading:  3 Many peoples shall say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Isaiah  2:3

I'm not sure when it came about that I was  indeed glad to hear someone say, "Let us to go the house of the Lord."  In the beginning, it was tedious - and then somehow, being in the presence of God became less and less a chore and more and more a time of excitement and expectation.

I know that we are always in the presence of the living God - but being intentional about coming together to worship Him has a joy of its own.  There is a fulfillment that takes place in the heart that is very hard to explain to someone who has not or does not feel it.

One of the phrases you hear over and over in the gospels is "Come and see..."  When faced with those who do not know the Lord, all we can do is say, "I've found something that fills me and brings peace and hope to my life.  Come and see for yourself."

Lord, open my ears to hear your word that I might always rejoice to hear your voice.  And open my heart to reach out to those you have placed in my path.  Let me be a beacon, not a wall, to those who do not know you, so that I might lead them to your holy hill.  Amen.