Look around: Hospitality
By Gianluca Cueva
In the last couple weeks as we’ve looked up in gratitude to God our Father, looked in to reflect on our own hearts, we want to now take the time to look around in fellowship and hospitality. Take just one minute (or maybe even two!) to stop, be still, and consider what hospitality and fellowship have looked like for you this past year. Ask yourself: who have you seen? Who haven’t you seen? Who’s been at your table? Who’s table have you been at? How have you spent that time? What or who have you missed? Okay, let’s take that time now…
Over this past year we’ve found creative ways to gather, stay in touch, have others in our homes, see each other online, distanced, or in our small “community pods”. Whatever this past year has looked like for each of us, we have all in one way, or another, been shaped and formed by this global pandemic. And as we begin to come out of it, and (Lord willing!) to return to a sense of “normalcy”, we need to consider and ask ourselves: how have our habits of fellowship and hospitality been formed and influenced?
Because we were created to be in community. And as brothers and sisters in Christ living a life in community and fellowship is simply not optional. As a matter of fact, our union in Christ connects us not only to God the Father by the Spirit, but also ties us to one another! We are the body of Christ. And as we fellowship with one another, we are also called to be hospitable, to invite the outsider into our homes and lives. Remembering that we too, who were once outsiders, have now become family (for more on hospitality, check out this episode of Pastors at the Mic)
As we look around, let’s continue to be hospitable and fellowship with one another. If our habits have been changed, let’s take this weekend to reorient ourselves back. Perhaps make that phone call or text you’ve been meaning to. It may feel uncomfortable, but sit down with that person you haven’t for a bit. What’s taking up your time right now? Can you move things around to open up some space for a meal? Perhaps just invite someone along to what you’re already doing. The pandemic has changed a lot, but our God remains the same. The power and grace of the living Spirit of God can do this. Let’s take these steps together in the Spirit.
In the last couple weeks as we’ve looked up in gratitude to God our Father, looked in to reflect on our own hearts, we want to now take the time to look around in fellowship and hospitality. Take just one minute (or maybe even two!) to stop, be still, and consider what hospitality and fellowship have looked like for you this past year. Ask yourself: who have you seen? Who haven’t you seen? Who’s been at your table? Who’s table have you been at? How have you spent that time? What or who have you missed? Okay, let’s take that time now…
Over this past year we’ve found creative ways to gather, stay in touch, have others in our homes, see each other online, distanced, or in our small “community pods”. Whatever this past year has looked like for each of us, we have all in one way, or another, been shaped and formed by this global pandemic. And as we begin to come out of it, and (Lord willing!) to return to a sense of “normalcy”, we need to consider and ask ourselves: how have our habits of fellowship and hospitality been formed and influenced?
Because we were created to be in community. And as brothers and sisters in Christ living a life in community and fellowship is simply not optional. As a matter of fact, our union in Christ connects us not only to God the Father by the Spirit, but also ties us to one another! We are the body of Christ. And as we fellowship with one another, we are also called to be hospitable, to invite the outsider into our homes and lives. Remembering that we too, who were once outsiders, have now become family (for more on hospitality, check out this episode of Pastors at the Mic)
As we look around, let’s continue to be hospitable and fellowship with one another. If our habits have been changed, let’s take this weekend to reorient ourselves back. Perhaps make that phone call or text you’ve been meaning to. It may feel uncomfortable, but sit down with that person you haven’t for a bit. What’s taking up your time right now? Can you move things around to open up some space for a meal? Perhaps just invite someone along to what you’re already doing. The pandemic has changed a lot, but our God remains the same. The power and grace of the living Spirit of God can do this. Let’s take these steps together in the Spirit.