Hospitality In Heaven And On Earth

This morning I'm thinking of the concept of 'sheltering people' in a crisis.

Every home has a different culture, doesn't it? Some people live very private lives. I picture the quiet couple that doesn't ever really entertain. They have a home that they live in but not many people ever see it. Then there is the family that has a home like grand central station... children... other peoples children... company that stays over... there is a closet filled with extra bedding.

Then the crisis comes. The flood, fire, war, repression or migration.

Which family opens their doors? Perhaps the decision is different for these different households.

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." - John 14:1-3 ESV

As far as I know there were not many, if any, people in Heaven when Jesus said this. Heaven's doors were not open to people yet. Jesus is the One who would open those doors.

When people died they went to a place we call Abraham's bosom. Jesus speaks of it below and we think of it as an actual place because Jesus uses proper names. He didn't use names in parables.

"There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'" - Luke 16:19-26 ESV

Jesus opens Heaven. He says that to Mary in the Garden after He is raised from the dead.

"Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned and said to him in Aramaic, 'Rabboni!' (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, 'Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' ' " - John 20:16-17 ESV

Jesus is preparing a place for us.

Does that excite you? It excites me.

I'm praying this morning for all the folks out there in the world who are preparing 'a place' for people because they have compassion in their hearts. The private ones and the ones who are used to feeding many mouths. Their hospitality is not unknown in Heaven. God does that also.

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Two Angry Men

The area where I work is surrounded by a poor section. If I go to the market I often pass people asking for money. I budget what I have so I rarely give money away on the way to the market but I often give it on the way back. I plan it out that way.

I ran into two men this week that I hadn't seen before who asked me for change on the way to the market and cursed at me when I shook my head 'no' as I went. It was unusual... it was very unusual for it to happen twice in one week from two different people.

They were both gone when I came back. After breaking a big bill I had money in my hand for one of them and on the other day I bought an egg roll for the other man because he looked so strung out. After asking at the bus stop and circling the block I had to give up my search because I needed to get back to work. I ended up eating the egg roll myself because I couldn't find that angry young man and I didn't want it to go to waste.

I don't know what made each of them that angry or how many people cursed back at them or gave them a lecture because of their 'bad attitude'. I can only imagine the pain. Maybe when I shook my head they thought I didn't care about them like a long line of others that have not cared. But the truth is I had love in my heart.

I think many times God wants to give us something on the way back. He doesn't owe us help. We deserve Hell... all of us. God wants to bless us and his means is grace. 'No' today may turn into a greater blessing tomorrow. If He is shaking His head He is always doing it with love in his heart. He isn't one to ignore a request, forget a need or have a cold uncaring gaze.

I hope I see those men again. I understand that anger. It is gone from my heart but I really do understand. That anger might just get them killed. I pray it doesn't. I pray they meet the One who won't lecture them... the Savior who loves them just as they are with no excuses or regrets.

Next week I plan to buy an extra egg roll by faith just in case. A gospel tract will go in the bag and if a conversation is possible I pray it will happen and result in seed that grows into a glorious conversion.

If only they could have waited a few more minutes they would have gotten something they didn't deserve. I was prepared to give a little. I only have a little. God is prepared to give us so much more.

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The Comforts Of Home

"He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure." - Psalm 40:2 ESV

Without God our minds are homeless.

If you have ever been homeless or know anything about it you know that it is a condition that involves much more than a lack of physical shelter. There is a sense of detachment that accompanies the condition. A need to rely on people and a seesaw of emotions that moves a person's sense of self worth up and down and around depending on the day and circumstances. It is a unique challenge.

People can think, 'Why don't they just get a job somewhere?' but that is far from easy when you have no place to live, a limited variety of clothing and no identification in your pocket to show someone. Not to mention the challenges of staying healthy and clean.

When God sees a homeless person and a well established person standing next to each other He sees two people of equal and immeasurable value. Unless men have God's mind they don't see that.

A believer lives spiritually in God's home. A believer's mind is God's home. There are comforts and resources that are at a person's disposal on every possible level. A believer may wander but there is always a place to come back to. That is a beautiful aspect of grace.

"But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone... and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." - Hebrews 2:9, 15 ESV

Death has fear in part because there is no safe place in view. All control is gone and nothing is sure. People are slaves because of fear and ultimately people fear because of death.

Jesus came to change that. He became homeless so that we could have a home. He hung on a cross rejected of God and men so that we would have a strong tower to run to and resources to draw from.

Thank you God... really... thank you so much. You are our shelter. We are often not the best house guests but you love us so tenderly and consistently. You say to us, 'Mi casa es su casa.' and we are so grateful for that. We may not have a home here but when we are with You we are home.

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