Extending a warm welcome

My friend was socially awkward. Conversations with him tended to have long, uncomfortable pauses. Amazingly, he loved entertaining people so much that he built his house specifically to allow for extending hospitality.  He included two extra bedrooms, a big dining area, along with an over-sized kitchen in the plans. Every visit with him was enjoyable in spite of his quirky personality.   I am sure you have noticed how some homes just say, “Welcome, friend” from the moment you enter the door. It’s not just the meal that has been prepared or the towels laid out on the guest bed for you. You can feel the love and acceptance of the host that says, “We’re glad you are here with us.” 

The Bible says  that being hospitable is one of the traits of a Spirit-filled Christian. Paul tells us to "Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality." (Romans 12:13, NIV)  Peter says it, too. "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." (1 Peter 4:9, NIV)  John also teaches Christians to be welcoming. "Show hospitality … so that we may work together for the truth." (3 John 8, NIV)  Has the warmth of God’s love radiated to every corner of your heart so that you are able to warmly welcome others into your life? 

Here’s the key to genuine hospitality: Welcome the Spirit into your life.  He will cause you to love and accept others. A Christian who wants God, the Spirit, to be ‘at home’ in his life, will be hospitable to Him. Does the way you live extend a warm welcome to Him?  We must consider that it is possible to push Him away, to make Him feel unwelcome. "Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted." (Ephesians 4:30, The Message)

If our lives are filled up with self-interest; if we let filthy speech spew out of us; if we clutter our minds with images and songs that celebrate sin; we should not be surprised that His Presence is unknown to us.  He will be grieved by our lack of hospitality! Hospitality requires choices that put the other person first.  Likewise, if we want God, the Holy Spirit, to be our Friend, we will throw out the welcome mat to Him, concerned that we do not drive Him away with our thoughts, words, and actions.

Here’s a word from the Word.

"If God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him.
Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won’t know what we’re talking about.

But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself?

When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!"

(Romans 8:9-11, The Message)

________________

Holy Spirit Thou Art Welcome

Holy Spirit, Thou art welcome in this place.

Holy Spirit, Thou art welcome in this place.

Omnipotent Father of mercy and grace,

Thou art welcome in this place.

Lord, in Thy presence there's healing divine.

No other power can save, Lord, but Thine.

Holy Spirit, Thou art welcome in this place.

Thou art welcome in this place.

Fill all the hungry and empty within.

Restore us, Oh Father, revive us again.

Holy Spirit, Thou art welcome in this place.

Thou art welcome in this place.

Rambo, Dottie / Huntsinger, David

© 1977, 1983 John T. Benson Publishing Company (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067) / HeartWarming Music (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc., 741 Coolsprings Blvd., Franklin TN 37067)

CCLI License No. 810055