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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Wednesday, August 13, 2003 "Company" |
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Frontline Devotion for Wednesday, August 13, 2003 By Penny Risen
"Come Lord Jesus, be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed."
If you were raised in a Protestant home in the U.S., this is the comfy short prayer you might have used around the dinner table with your family. (If you were raised Lutheran, according to Garrison Keillor, this meal probably included Jello.)
Asking Jesus nightly to be my guest always confused me when I was very young. Because one of the most stress-inducing phrases uttered in my house by my mother was: "Company's coming!"
"Company" always meant a cleaning frenzy: Away with clutter, sweep the floors, scrub the countertops, spread out the clean linens, and (please insert your own cleaning life-experiences here).
I loved having company, but wasn't too pleased about being caught in the build up.
Mom was a superb hostess, and always made folks feel special. But she sometimes wrestled with the Martha/Mary quandary while having company:
* Behave like dutiful Martha of Bethany, who waited on her guest's every physical need.
Or ...
* Behave like her sister, the calm Mary, who sat down with her guest and listened to him preach.
Jesus and his disciples often were welcomed in Bethany, and their experiences as guests there are told several times in the Bible. I expect Jesus didn't count on things being perfect -- He just needed a place to unwind, have a quiet meal with friends and find a spot to lay His head. But on occasion, there seemed to be conflict, a build up of expectations or friction over how to handle the company -- no matter how adored, worshiped or sympathetic.
In Matthew 8, Jesus reflects on the wandering nature of his preaching routine. He's busy healing and preaching and muses: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Animals used in Bible parables have simplicity on their side: The Father looks out for them and provides for their needs. They curl up in dens or gather in flocks: easy, no pressure. But Jesus implies that His being the guest presents difficulties, depending on the host's misgivings of faith, expectations of Him, or their own self-doubt.
Do you make hosting Jesus complicated? Do you burden yourself with too many doubts or worries before welcoming Him into your life? What kind of host are you to our brother, the Son of Man?
Making Jesus a welcome guest doesn't mean we must be perfect, our lives spotless. Jesus expects imperfections, otherwise He wouldn't have been sent to be our Savior. Of course, when we welcome Jesus into our hearts, a bit of cleaning for "company" is expected. Empty yourself of anger or resentment against your friend or spouse; get rid of the clutter of sin and confess that you need His forgiveness; promise to straighten out your life according to His will; and, naturally -- put on love.
And the Jello-making issue? Well, it's always nice to serve company comfort food, not something too fancy. Let them know they're like part of the family, because we always love our families even if they aren't perfect, don't we?
Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, we want to welcome You each day as special company. Thank you for loving us, in spite of our imperfections. Bless our homes so that they are a refuge of faith. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry. Pastor Dave welcomes and appreciates feedback. pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org.