Scripture: Romans 12:13
Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
Thought for the Day: I hope no one takes this personally, but I never thought I call myself a Texan. And maybe simply having a Texas driver’s license doesn’t actually make me a Texan, but a few months ago, I was a legal resident of Florida. A few years before that, a legal resident of Missouri. Today, I have a card that declares that I have a new place to call home. As easy as it is to move across state lines and claim new residency in this country, I don’t believe it is quite as easy to find a place to really call home. We walk by many people every day who might call themselves Texans and who own a nice house. But this has very little to do with whether or not someone feels at home. At the core of Christian belief is the notion of hospitality. In scripture, this word literally means to welcome the stranger so s/he feels at home. We have an important task as people who follow Jesus Christ, the one who showed hospitality in Kingdom of God.
Prayer: O Lord of All Creation, though my thoughts and actions often make me an alien in your Kingdom, you continued to find ways of welcoming me with your transformative grace. Allow my heart to embrace this gift and then offer it to those who feel like a stranger even in their place of birth. Amen.
