Our devotions this Lenten season have been written by members of Faith Lutheran Church. Today’s devotion is by Karen Elsen. Also, if you would like to join our staff in praying the liturgy for Responsive Prayer/Suffrages just click here.
Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. Acts 10:32-42
Radical hospitality is a way of welcoming guests and strangers.
As a young college graduate I traveled to Paris to study. I left my small Lutheran college armed with a degree in French and the contact numbers of two elderly Russian widows living in Paris. Arriving exhausted from travel I called one of the phone numbers provided by my friend, Joyce. They were not expecting me, but directed me to take a cab to their apartment building. For the next three days they fed and housed me, taught me how to use the metro, and acted as cheerleaders as I interviewed for an au pair position and registered for classes. They were my welcoming committee because I had been sent to them by our mutual friend, Joyce.
Every Sunday we are the welcoming committee to friends and strangers referred to us by our mutual friend, Jesus. May we welcome them with the same love he has shown us.
Let us pray: Lord, as we welcome both friends and strangers sent by you to worship with us, make us sensitive to the ways we can help others feel at home in our midst. Amen.
Daily Devotions 
March 1, 2013 at 10:23 pm |
Kathy Palmer and I work at the Homeless center here in Austin every Tuesday. What a joy I have gotten from this. It has filled some of the vacancy in my life of my Faith House duties—no my “joys”. I miss Faith and the people a lot and hope to see some duing the Easter Holidays. Love yall but HE loves yall more, Betty Jean.