From Dusk to Dawn: Finding the Solace of God in the Night

Filed in: Devotionals

Hospitality & Holidays
But the Placemats Don’t Match!

Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:9 (NKJV)

Poor Martha! Over the years, this warm, industrious woman has become the poster child for spiritual priorities (see Luke 10:41-42). Yet she was doing something that not only seemed to come naturally to her but was expected in her culture: she was taking care of her guests. After all, she wasn’t exactly used to serving a man who could turn two fish into dinner on the grounds for 5,000 without even breaking out a cutting board.

Hospitality in Martha’s world wasn’t a privilege; it was a necessity. Towns and villages lay miles apart, and the usual mode of travel was on foot. The climate could be harsh and severe, and guests arrived exhausted, filthy, and hungry. The normal priority for a woman like Martha would have been to provide her guests food, water, and a place to rest and clean up. Especially special guests like Jesus and His disciples. And His last visit to her home was just before Passover and His triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Her home must have swarmed with people ready for the holiday!

Far too many women can relate to Martha, even today. We have jobs, families, homes, all demanding our love and attention. We have to provide food, transportation, support, and the occasional cupcake. The whirlwind builds around the holidays, with arriving guests, the need for one more gift, or a run to the store for vanilla flavoring, until the air rings with “I can’t stop to pray! I have to find matching placemats!”

Make yourself stop. Tuck the kids away into bed, let the garland or the flowers lie untended for awhile. Step into the night and take a deep breath.

Hospitality is a gift. Some women are better at it than others, but as Christians, we are, in fact, called to be open and welcoming to each other. It is in our nature to want to celebrate the holidays together, especially Easter and Christmas. This does not mean, however, that we must corkscrew ourselves into the ground in a frenzy of decorating and baking.

Look up instead. The Creator who put those stars in the sky also wants to be welcomed into your home and heart. He loves you, no matter what, and He created the night as a time for you to rest. Talk five minutes to talk to Him. Another five to listen. After all, He is the only one who can truly give you the peace you seek in your frantic day. Rest in Him.

The garland will still be there in the morning.

Prayer Starter:
Lord, take me in your arms and give me the rest I so dearly need. Show me how to be a true hostess for you as well as your children.
Amen.

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