MATTHEW 11:28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

TO PONDER

Anyone who knows me from the past bunch of years knows I have a local Café. A café that taught me to drink coffee (Vanilla Latte) so I can ‘fit’ in with all the other coffee addicts. A café where I even have my own table where the staff have joked about making up a brass plaque to make that table officially mine.

But the vanilla lattes and my own table are not why I am a loyal local in that café. The reason why is the greeting I get as soon as I walk in through the door. Without fail one of the staff will excitedly shout out, “Danny’s here!” welcoming me with a big smile. Regardless of the day I have had, or the mood I am in, or if I’m tired, or burdened I can’t help but return that smile and change my attitude.

I am a loyal local of that café because of the hospitality displayed towards me every single time and as I sit at my table, I notice they display that same hospitality to every single person who walks in through those doors.

Today’s verse is Jesus displaying his hospitality towards us, towards mankind. A welcoming greeting for us when we are weary, when we are beat down, when we are overwhelmed, when we are at our worst; He shouts our name with a smile and unconditional love to greet us.

This past Sunday, I walked into LifeWay Illawarra and was greeted once again by a smiling, welcoming face, the same face I see every time I get the opportunity to make the trip down there and Andrew rushes to welcome me, displaying God’s hospitality, the same hospitality I have seen him display to everyone who walks through the building’s door.

This is church, expansive hospitality as soon as you walk in. 

PRAYER:  Loving Jesus, I thank you for demonstrating what expansive hospitality looks like; personal unconditional love, welcoming me daily into your family by your grace and relentless forgiveness.  Amen.

Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside