A Guest in My Own Home

-
Some welcome houseguests making homemade cookie dough.
Summer guests at Shiloh
December 20
When I go to sign onto the Internet, I am asked for the Guest Code to our wireless system.  Oh, yes, we do have a main sign in, but we've forgotten where we wrote down our password, but we can remember the one for guests!

For many people, Christmas is a time of being a guest and welcoming guests.  As most of us reading this devotional decorate, bake and put out our welcome mat, let us remember there are those who are never extended an invitation to be a guest or have the confidence to beckon others into their own homes.

On the side of our house, I  have this verse plastered as a reminder of how God wants us to use Shiloh:

 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:9

David was such an honest man relaying excellent relational examples of how we can approach God.  I love  how he expresses, in The Message, how welcome he is in the Presence of God.

You've always given me breathing room, as a place to get away from it all, a lifetime pass to your safe-house, an open invitation as your guest.  You've always taken me seriously, God, made me welcome among those who know and love you.
Psalm 61:3-5   

If you have never read Philemon, check it out in The Message. Paul is imprisoned and has met a man named Onesimus, whose life has been transformed as he has come to know Christ.  Paul is pleading for restoration in a relationship. I love how in the story Paul expresses that, because of Philemon's prayers for him, he fully hopes to get to be a guest in his home again some day.  Believing by faith, he will be released from heaven some day.

I'd type it all up for you, but my house guests are HUNGRY!

Popular posts from this blog

She Fought the Good Fight

-
Image
February 27 Bible Gateway's verse yesterday was: This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him . 1 John 4:9 A fitting verse for the day my everyday friend, soul sister, monster of the faith and mischievous partner in crime, Kaye, left this world behind and headed to her heavenly home. My husband was able to be by her bedside and said he knew she heard the words of our faith that he shared. Her sweet daughter held the phone up to her ear so I could say good-bye and the brightest single star you have ever seen shown through my bedroom window as she exited this earth! Yesterday, my heart literally ached so badly that I told the Lord, "Take me too!" Wouldn't she have been surprised if I had snuck up on her in heaven and said, "Thought you were going somewhere without me, did ya." When we received the call she was ready to go, I called out to the Lord for comfort and He led me to the Bible Gat
Read more

Toe Sucking

-
Image
June 13 If I keep my eyes on God, I won't trip over my own feet. Psalm 25:12 …or allow them to be sucked off by carp!  For as long as I've been on this lake (49 years) we've gone to feed the carp at various marinas.   I have a bag of old bread waiting to be tossed to the carp tomorrow by our grandchildren!   There's a new adventure at a couple of the marinas.  Toe sucking!   For 25 cents you can buy a small scoop of peanut butter to go on your toes. Then the carp suck it off!   I just got a pedicure, so I have an excuse not to participate! What we do need to participate in is keeping our feet on the paths the Lord sets before us. Give careful though to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Proverbs 4:26 
Read more

Remember Your Story

-
Image
Our oldest granddaughter made this bouquet and hand painted card for me.💖 Nothing touches our lives that God doesn't allow.  He has a plan and a purpose, sometimes far into the future, that can be used for His glory. (Jeremiah 29:11) Flash back 40 years and I approached life's downs with an "I can't believe this is happening." and truth be told "How can I fix it?" attitude.   Now that I am older and wiser I see that God truly works all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose.  (Romans 8:28) I thank God for the stroke 8 years ago and how it mellowed me out (okay some of you are laughing, but it really did). And honestly,  I like getting old. Sure, there are regrets, but there is also value in being able to pass along the wisdom learned from those regrets. God CAN use everything for His good. Mentoring moments are what I feel called to at this stage of life.  Working on a talk for a women's retreat weekend, I came ac
Read more