THE BLESSING OF HOSPITALITY

"The girl ran and told her mother's household about these things. Now Rebekah had a brother named Laban, and he hurried out to the man at the spring. As soon as he had seen the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's arms, and had heard Rebekah tell what the man said to her, he went out to the man and found him standing by the camels near the spring. "Come, you who are blessed by the Lord," he said. "Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." So the man went to the house, and the camels were unloaded. Straw and fodder were brought for the camels, and water for him and his men to wash their feet. Then food was set before him…" Genesis 24:28-33a

As we continue to study the work of Abraham’s chief servant in carrying out his assignment of finding Isaac a wife, we pick up where we left off yesterday. The servant had prayed to God that he might receive help in finding the right wife for Isaac. He asked God to provide two signs to him so that he might know he had chosen the right woman and God provides what the servant asked for. The gift of a drink of water from Rebekah, first to the servant and then to his camels, showed the servant that she was the one. You’ll remember that this led the servant to bow down and worship God, praising Him for His goodness to Abraham and himself. He gives Rebekah a nose ring and bracelets for her wrist and as we start to look at our scripture for today, we find Rebekah running to let her family know what had happened.

It’s here that we are introduced to Rebekah’s brother Laban who hears the entire account of what transpired between Rebekah and Abraham’s chief servant. Seeing the gifts that Rebekah had been given and hearing her testimony, he goes to Abraham’s chief servant…a man who is a total stranger to him as the servant was to Rebekah moments before.

As Laban meets the chief servant for the first time, his words are not what on might expect from someone addressing a total stranger. For Laban doesn’t come up, shake hands, introduce himself by name and then ask the servant for his name in return. There is no preliminary conversation to try and develop some sense of relationship before. Instead, Laban immediately addresses the chief servant in a spirit of respect and praise saying, "Come, you who are blessed by the Lord," he said. "Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels." Amazing words to a total stranger and it leaves me wondering how many people in this day and time would show the same blessing of hospitality.

I’m afraid it wouldn’t come as quickly or easily as it did for Abraham’s chief servant.
But consider and ponder this as you think about the concept of hospitality…We serve a Lord who is willing to take us in, regardless how sin-stained we are…no matter what we might have done…He is always ready and willing to take us in, shelter us in His love, grace, and mercy, and nourish us with His Spirit, His Word and His Way.

Question: If we were created in His own image, shouldn’t we exhibit the same level of love and care for one another? Shouldn’t we share the blessing of hospitality with others?

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

http://www.faithhopeandlove.info/

Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com