Anyone out there wondering whatever happened to "hospitality"? The kind of thing we do when we open our homes to each other or strangers. The word literally means "kindness to strangers" or the "love of strangers". The word "stranger" has a scarey connotation to a lot of us today, but does that mean we just don't do it because it sounds scarey or invasive of our privacy? It still is the heart of God. So I wonder how much we miss when we simply hide away in our castles, protected from all the people on the outside.
Growing up it seemed like we were frequently in each other's homes. It was normal; we got to know each other; and our lives were enriched. We recently welcomed some "strangers" into our home who needed a place to stay while they supported a family through a court case. They are believers in Jesus from another faith tradition. We agreed to some boundaries and, after sensing it was the right thing to do, we welcomed them. While we have made it affordable for them to support this family in crisis, we have been enriched. We have heard their stories of living in Morrocco for 4 years as missionaries and of hosting Muslim students in their home. Because of hospitality, we have seen more of how God has moved in our world. We have been encouraged by the faith of one of their Muslim students who committed to follow Christ despite his family's death threats on his life. The whole experience has added more texture to our lives.
I know that I've been cared for many times by people opening their homes to me in a time of need. It's a great idea. "Practice hospitality", says God. Don't you think it's about time to recover what is fast becoming a lost art?
Sincerely,
Rick
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
spring training
I went to Spring Training with my dad and brother this week to watch a little baseball in the warm Arizona sunshine. At one of the games I sat next to a Dodger fan (I've been a life-long Willie Mays/Giants fan...not exactly the coziest of seatmates). Well, he turned out to be an interesting guy. He played college ball and then made it all the way to the Triple A level. He had a real respect for the men playing the game that day because, as a former minor leaguer himself, he said that there are days that you just don't feel like playing the game. These guys, he said, paid the price and made it. They persevered.
Is there any "field" in life where perseverance isn't important? It sure is for anyone following Jesus Christ. I've been surprised at how many times I felt like packing it in and then, maybe a day or week later, something great happened because I kept the faith. I kept going. Nothing fancy or very inspiritional...just one foot in front of the other. Like Paul said, "suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope." I like character and hope a lot. But they don't come without persevering through hard times. Keep going, friend.
Is there any "field" in life where perseverance isn't important? It sure is for anyone following Jesus Christ. I've been surprised at how many times I felt like packing it in and then, maybe a day or week later, something great happened because I kept the faith. I kept going. Nothing fancy or very inspiritional...just one foot in front of the other. Like Paul said, "suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character hope." I like character and hope a lot. But they don't come without persevering through hard times. Keep going, friend.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
the language of prayer
Hello,
I read recently that learning how to pray should be like learning a new language--you immerse yourself in the language of prayer until it becomes of a part of you. And the place to immerse yourself in the language of prayer is in the book of Psalms. Psalms has been believers' prayer/worship book for millenia.
That's been true for me. In college I had a religion professor who said we ought to read the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, and that a good place to start was in the Psalms. So I started reading Psalms. A funny thing happened: I started praising God more (because it happens all the time in Psalms), and my vision of God got bigger (because God is really big in Psalms). And it's wasn't like I sat under some theologian who analyzed the structure of Psalms for me or explained they're meaning. No, I just absorbed these truths into the warp and woof of my being like a child learning the word for "ball" or "dog" from mom and dad after months of immersion in their home.
Why not try it? A Psalm a day, year after year, until you pick up the language of prayer/worship? No sterile classroom environment or boring lecture, but a steady diet of the language of prayer in the comfort of your own home (or office or commuter van,etc.). Blessings.
Pastor Rick
I read recently that learning how to pray should be like learning a new language--you immerse yourself in the language of prayer until it becomes of a part of you. And the place to immerse yourself in the language of prayer is in the book of Psalms. Psalms has been believers' prayer/worship book for millenia.
That's been true for me. In college I had a religion professor who said we ought to read the Old Testament as well as the New Testament, and that a good place to start was in the Psalms. So I started reading Psalms. A funny thing happened: I started praising God more (because it happens all the time in Psalms), and my vision of God got bigger (because God is really big in Psalms). And it's wasn't like I sat under some theologian who analyzed the structure of Psalms for me or explained they're meaning. No, I just absorbed these truths into the warp and woof of my being like a child learning the word for "ball" or "dog" from mom and dad after months of immersion in their home.
Why not try it? A Psalm a day, year after year, until you pick up the language of prayer/worship? No sterile classroom environment or boring lecture, but a steady diet of the language of prayer in the comfort of your own home (or office or commuter van,etc.). Blessings.
Pastor Rick
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