Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Welcome A Stranger" for Monday, 8 September 2014 - Read Hebrews 13:1-4

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Welcome A Stranger" for Monday, 8 September 2014 - Read Hebrews 13: Jesus Doesn’t Change
1-4 Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! Regard prisoners as if you were in prison with them. Look on victims of abuse as if what happened to them had happened to you. Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex.
Jesus said, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”(Matthew 25:35 (NRSV))
My wife and I are greeters at Sunday worship and specifically look for those who are visitors. Remembering what Jesus said about welcoming strangers, we greet each visitor as we would welcome Christ. Many in our congregation make a special effort to offer hospitality to visitors. A man who visited our church several years ago and is now a member said to me: “That first visit I had a knot of fear in my gut as I entered the front door. I kept asking myself, ‘Will they accept me?’”He had not attended worship for many years, having left with the bitter taste of rejection because of his sexual orientation. He went on to say, “That first Sunday was amazing. A number of people warmly greeted me with Christian love. As I left church, I felt an inner peace — as if I had come home after a long absence.”
Sometimes we who have been part of a local church for years forget how scary it can be to walk in as a stranger. We may also forget the importance God places on hospitality. Even so, it is relatively easy to greet strangers at church. The more difficult challenge is to be open and loving to people we encounter every day.
The Author: Hugh Lake (Georgia)
Thought for the Day: Welcoming strangers in our midst opens the door to entertaining Jesus.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to see everyone through your eyes of love and then to put our love into action. Amen.
Prayer focus: Church greeters
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