Lenten Daily Devotional - Day 18 - 3/5/13

Devotional Scripture: John 11:1-44

Devotional Thought:

"Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha." - John 11:1.

The following is a rewrite of a devotional I wrote on the same text back in 2007.  It begins with . . .

Why did Jesus go back tot he home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, albeit two days after he first heard of Lazarus' illness?   Stories in the Gospels shed light that the home of these three special friends was perhaps a place of refuge for Jesus, where he went during his itinerant ministryfor rest, peace, love, understanding and friendship.

Sometimes it's just nice to be welcomed somewhere where you can just be yourself among friends.

Jesus used this visit to bring Lazarus back to life from the tomb.  It is a compelling story of faith and the power of love, the power of God.

However, I want to focus on a related question for our consideration today.  Of all the people you know, whose home are you always welcomed into?

Perhaps there is no greater gift a man or woman can offer to someone else than a place to rest a weary heart, soul, mind . . . or a set of tired feet.  What a gift it is to have someplace where we can go at any time knowing that no one there will laugh at our dreams or misunderstand our passions or concerns for the thing we hold as most important in life, what we believe to be the very heart of God.

There is really little cost to this kind of hospitality . . . it costs on the understanding heart. Sometimes the message comes like this . . . "Can I come over to visit, now?"  Sometimes the message comes like this . . . "We need you, get here as quickly as you can." 

Often our motivation for responding is in the "knowing where we are going."

As you make straight the path for the oncoming of Easter . . . why not check your front porch light and welcome mat as well.

God's grace still amazes me . . . ><>