how we can be used of God to help meet the needs of others. Hebrews 13 states:
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
There is a direct line from worship to work - if we love God, we will develop an attitude of obedience, and that involves following His principles and the direction of His Spirit. We can develop a sense of hospitality, as we take what God has given to us - spiritual, physical, or emotional - to reflect His heart. We can give of what we have so that He might be glorified. So, as we worship the Lord, we can be reminded that worship is a lifestyle driven by the attitude to love and please God.
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This year's annual Christmas Advent-ure at Faith Radio is entitled, Around the World in 25 Days! You can see the guide in our most recent Ministry Magazine and download it for free from our website. We are considering how God is at work around the world by identifying various Christmas traditions in a number of countries.
Yesterday, Day 1, the emphasis was on Haiti, where families celebrate Revillion. According to Compassion International, houses are open all night, and an overnight meal is shared called the Revillion, which is French for “wake up.” An accompanying Scripture is James 1:17, which states:
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Today, we consider a tradition in Mexico, where Posadas is practiced. According to the website, WhyChristmas.com, children go from house to house and sing songs, recognizing the journey of Mary and Joseph. That thought of going "house to house" can be tied in to the concept of acts of hospitality, as we find in Romans chapter 12:
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;
11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
The Thanksgiving food has been consumed and perhaps packaged as leftovers, and now it's back to our daily routine, but we can continue to reflect on the way that God uses physical food in order to draw people to Himself and His spiritual food.
Mercy Chefs is an organization that provides cooked meals in times of disaster. And, recently, in Southeast Texas, which was adversely affected by Tropical Storm Imelda back in September, that organization partnered with the Beaumont Dream Center to provide Thanksgiving dinner for hundreds of families the weekend before the holiday.
12 News Now relates that Mercy Chef Master Jay Buchman said, “We were here in September for the tropical storm, and Beaumont really tugged on our heart strings,” adding, “We were just so thrilled when the Dream Center invited us to come back for Thanksgiving today.”
Buchman was aided by a team of about 20 volunteers from the Dream Center to feed some 300 people, some of whom, according to a local pastor, had been served by the ministry partnership when the storm hit. Pastor Michael Smith is quoted as saying, "A lot of the people who are here today, we were all in shelters together. Without the food that they provided us today, we probably wouldn’t have had a Thanksgiving dinner..." The article stated:
But, as Barnett contends:
In this season of giving, we can be thankful for what God has done for us and recognize those who are going above and beyond in order to share the love of Christ in Christian hospitality, considering how we can enter into that practice.
We can also think about this: Displacement will happen - sometimes it is physical; sometimes there will be times when our lives seem a bit disheveled and we are looking for an anchor. No matter how unstable life may become, we can remember that we are held by His everlasting arms.
Also, we can open up our hearts, which can lead to God's opening of doors so that people may enter into His presence. The Lord will work through a heart and life that is willing to allow Him to work.
Finally, we can consider that transformation can occur in the context of relationship. Let's go back to that Mexican custom of Posadas: we can consider that the innkeeper did not have a room, but he gave Mary and Joseph what he had. We may not have all the answers or the resources, but we can certainly offer ourselves on behalf of another, and minister as God directs.
11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;
13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
Mercy Chefs is an organization that provides cooked meals in times of disaster. And, recently, in Southeast Texas, which was adversely affected by Tropical Storm Imelda back in September, that organization partnered with the Beaumont Dream Center to provide Thanksgiving dinner for hundreds of families the weekend before the holiday.
12 News Now relates that Mercy Chef Master Jay Buchman said, “We were here in September for the tropical storm, and Beaumont really tugged on our heart strings,” adding, “We were just so thrilled when the Dream Center invited us to come back for Thanksgiving today.”
Buchman was aided by a team of about 20 volunteers from the Dream Center to feed some 300 people, some of whom, according to a local pastor, had been served by the ministry partnership when the storm hit. Pastor Michael Smith is quoted as saying, "A lot of the people who are here today, we were all in shelters together. Without the food that they provided us today, we probably wouldn’t have had a Thanksgiving dinner..." The article stated:
Smith told 12News he and his wife are still displaced, and they haven't been able to return home since Imelda struck in Sept. of this year.The Beaumont Dream Center is related to the Dream Center of Los Angeles, which is headed by Matthew Barnett. Barnett recently wrote an article published on the FoxNews.com website, as he elaborated on how that ministry has responded to the homeless crisis in the city. Barnett wrote in August that almost 59,000 people in L.A. are homeless and that the city has spent some $619 million last year to provide new housing units and beds in shelters.
But, as Barnett contends:
From my experience, I know it’s going to take a lot more than the right amount of funding, meeting immediate needs and our best intentions. This applies to my state and every state.
Deep down, what every homeless neighbor needs is a cheerleader. They need a consistent, unwavering champion encouraging them every step of the way, offering endless grace through every stumble, no matter how long their journey to stability.He emphasizes the importance of relationships and refers to the "transformation" that he has seen; as a Christian ministry, that comes from a Christ-centered environment and an emphasis on Biblical truth. Barnett writes:
Thousands of struggling homeless families have found refuge through our various transitional housing programs at the Dream Center; and we provide more than just food, showers, clean clothes and shelter for one year.
In every situation, a case manager is assigned to mentor each family by guiding them on the path toward independent living and permanent housing. Other resources are also available, including classes and tutoring for a GED, money management courses and vocational training.
While the services we provide are a practical solution, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of the relationships formed between those in need and those extending a hand. This is where lasting transformation takes place.And, as he mentions in the Fox piece, many of the homeless are veterans who have faithfully served; it's worth noting that the Dream Center is intentional about reaching out to veterans in need.
In this season of giving, we can be thankful for what God has done for us and recognize those who are going above and beyond in order to share the love of Christ in Christian hospitality, considering how we can enter into that practice.
We can also think about this: Displacement will happen - sometimes it is physical; sometimes there will be times when our lives seem a bit disheveled and we are looking for an anchor. No matter how unstable life may become, we can remember that we are held by His everlasting arms.
Also, we can open up our hearts, which can lead to God's opening of doors so that people may enter into His presence. The Lord will work through a heart and life that is willing to allow Him to work.
Finally, we can consider that transformation can occur in the context of relationship. Let's go back to that Mexican custom of Posadas: we can consider that the innkeeper did not have a room, but he gave Mary and Joseph what he had. We may not have all the answers or the resources, but we can certainly offer ourselves on behalf of another, and minister as God directs.
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