The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Hospitality (02/07/05)
Did you feel the slight tremble of the earth as God chuckled? The object of His mirth? It's the thought of the combination of me and the subject of hospitality. As a teacher of spiritual gifts, I recognize that hospitality is not one of mine! As I prepare for guests, I fret and fritter, while my family scatters to opposite ends of the house. I often miss the opportunity to relax and enjoy fellowship. Instead, I choose to worry about the food or the appearance of the house. Today God, in His mysterious way, found a Scripture for me in 1 Peter 4:9. It reads: "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." (NIV) Uh oh.

Many of my friends and many in my family do have this gift. The gifts God bestows on us often come naturally and we may not think of them as gifts at all. I am astonished as my friends readily welcome unexpected guests, often with food at hand and an uncanny way of making others feel at home. God, in His goodness, (thank goodness) does have a plan.

He has each of us use our individual gifts and together we make up the body of Christ. As we see gifts in each other, we are able to work together to serve others. And if God should ask me to practice hospitality? I can do it and I might even try it without grumbling.

God, in His mercy, comforts me with the next verse in 1 Peter: "Each one should use WHATEVER gift he has received to serve others faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." (NIV)(Emphasis mine)

Thank you Lord. May we use the gifts of the Spirit to bring glory to Your name.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 1366 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Lynda Lee Schab 
02/14/05
Whew! I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one who doesn't have the "Hospitality" gene. But, like you said, when it is required of us, we do what we can to do it right.
Great entry.
Blessings, Lynda
Phyllis Inniss 
02/15/05
I like your honest entry. Some people are blessed with more of one thing than others, but we can ask the Lord for help as you seem to have done. Thanks for sharing.
donna robinson
02/20/05
I love the picture in my head when I read that first line. I think God chuckles a lot at us on some days! I think He knew it would be great if we all didn't have the same spiritual gift. I mean, what good would the gift of hospitality be to your family that's good at it, if there weren't people like us who needed it?