Come, Lord Jesus, Be Our Guest

Marian Korth

Description

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest. And he cameas a homeless man, a stranger, a friend. Marian Korth and her partner, Mim Jacobson, have served breakfast to thousands of overnight guests in their home, but they didnt bother to offer a cup of coffee to a homeless man huddling on their doorstep one cold winter morning. Why didnt they welcome this Jesus into their home?Marian has more to learn about hospitality, even after sixty years of adventures in hospitality. She can tell stories about being hospitable (or not) from: Growing up on a small dairy farm in Wisconsin Living in Chicago for twenty years Returning to Wisconsin and turning their farmhouse into a bed and breakfast Providing end-of-life care for guests who live with Marian and Mim in their home Transforming their bed and breakfast into a spiritual retreat centerKindness is the common thread that runs through all these adventures in hospitality. The first verse Marian memorized as a child was Ephesians 4:32, Be ye kind, one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you. (She memorized it and still thinks about it in the King James Version.) In these stories, Marian reflects on what God is telling her about being hospitable. She thinks its pretty exciting to know that God has told us, Be ready with a meal or a bed when its needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! (Hebrews 13:2 The Message)

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Inspiring Voices
• Date de parution: 30 mai 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781462406036
• Langue: English

Extrait

Come, Lord Jesus, Be Our Guest

Adventures in Hospitality
Marian Korth


 
Copyright © 2013 Marian Korth .
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Message (MSG), Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Other Scripture references are from the following:
• The Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) . Copyright © 1989 by Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
•The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).
 
All the incidents in this book are true, at least from my perspective and as I remember them. The names of most of the people in these stories, except for family members, have been changed to protect their privacy.
 
Inspiring Voices books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:
 
Inspiring Voices
1663 Liberty Drive
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www.inspiringvoices.com
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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
 
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
 
ISBN: 978-1-4624-0606-7 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4624-0603-6 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2013907557
 
Inspiring Voices rev. date: 05/29/2013
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Early Years My First Lessons In Hospitality
Welcoming Friends And Family On The Farm
Ignoring The Needs Of Others
Broadening My World
Moving To Connecticut
The Chicago Years Lessons In Being Kind
Getting An Apartment In Chicago
Hosting The Friend Of A Friend
Becoming A Short-Term Family Of Four
Opening Our Door To Christian Nurses
Adjusting To Summer Roommates
Inviting Another Short-Term Roommate To Live With Us
Serving Lunch To 50 Kids
Buying Our First Home
Introducing Nieces, Nephews, And Friends To The City
Feeding Another Crowd
Denying Hospitality To The Neediest
Showing Kindness To The Vulnerable
Caring For Mom As She Was Dying
Offering Hospitality On The Street
Cambridge A New Beginning
Passing The Farm To The Next Generation
Seeing Old Friends Again
Hosting An Open House
Caring For Our First Long-Term Guest
Country Comforts Bed And Breakfast Welcoming Angels Unaware
Dedicating Our House To The Ministry Of Hospitality
Serving Breakfast To Our Very First Guests
Expanding Our Guest List
Becoming A Special Place For Long-Lost Lovers
Inviting Pastors For Midweek Getaways
Talking About Kindness
Living Generously
Extending Hospitality To The Physically Challenged
Keeping The Door Open For Long-Term Guests
Learning To Share
Spreading The Good News Worldwide
Meeting Former Guests Unexpectedly
Inviting A Potter To Live With Us
Learning About Different Customs
Sharing Life Experiences With A Lesbian Couple
Encouraging Guests In Their Faith
Celebrating An Engagement
Remembering God’s Kindness
Learning To Get Along With Other Christians
Relying On God’s Protection
Helping A Depressed Mother
Getting Up In The Middle Of The Night
Rejoicing In New Traditions
Hosting A Happy Reunion
Establishing A New Tradition With Friends From Church
Marveling At An Amazing Coincidence
Sharing A Positive Attitude
Country Comforts Assisted Living Caring For The “Least”
Helping The Weak
Singing Together
Providing Help In Difficult Days
Learning Our Limits
Listening To A Cry For Help
Answering Questions
Becoming A Family
Learning More About The Family Of God
Caring For A Good Leader
Protecting My Teacher
Expanding Our Family
Reuniting Sisters
Being An Advocate
Waiting For The Next Generation
Comforting A Family
Being Thankful For Everything
Being Surrounded By A Cloud Of Love
Whispering Winds Retreat Haven Welcoming God’s Guests
Opening Our Door Early
Providing A Respite
Giving A Missionary A Break
Continuing A Special Relationship
Providing A Place To Think
Meeting Very Different Needs
Discovering A Previous Connection
Sharing Stories About Writing
Accepting Help
Meeting The Need For A Few Quiet Hours
Gathering Friends Together
Celebrating With Three Dominican Sisters
Providing The Music
Welcoming Writers
Hosting Church Planners
Tasting God’s Goodness
Providing A Place To Relax, Share, And Learn
Holding Business Meetings
Offering A “Spare Room” To Neighbors
Offering A House To Grieving Friends And Family
Inviting People Into Our Home For Public Retreats
Telling A Story And Singing A Song
Blending Assisted Living With Our Retreat Center
Celebrating Christmas Together—Four Generations
Remembering Loved Ones
Summary
Conclusion
About The Author
 
 
 
To my life partner, Mim Jacobson,
for welcoming me, a stranger,
and teaching me what hospitality is all about.
INTRODUCTION
Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest.
Let this food to us be blest.
Amen.
T his is the second prayer I learned as a child. The first one was “God, bless our food. Amen.” By age five, when I learned the second prayer, I was just beginning to learn about hospitality, although I hadn’t learned that word yet. I was inviting Jesus to join us for our meals.
Over the years, I’ve learned that asking Jesus to join me for a meal also means inviting anyone who is hungry to join me for a meal, not just Jesus. In Matthew 25:44b, when Jesus and his disciples were talking, the disciples asked him, “Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?”
And he answered them in verse 45b, “I’m telling you the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me.”
I guess that makes it clear. “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest” really means, “Come, whoever needs food or help of any kind.” When I am being kind to any of them, I am being kind to Jesus.
Hospitality is one of the major themes throughout the Bible, starting in Genesis and continuing throughout the New Testament. Genesis 18:3-5 begins the story of Abraham welcoming three strangers who were traveling through the wilderness. When Abraham saw them, he ran up to them and said, “Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant. I’ll get some water so you can wash your feet. Rest under this tree. I’ll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path.”
Abraham was an excellent host, a role model for us. He was eager to welcome strangers into his home and treat them as honored guests.
There are many stories in the Old Testament that demonstrate hospitality. In 1 Kings 17:9-16, for example, during a time of drought, God tells the prophet Elijah,
 
“Get up and go to Zarephath in Sidon and live there. I’ve instructed a woman who lives there, a widow, to feed you.” So he got up and went to Zarephath. As he came to the entrance of the village he met a woman, a widow, gathering firewood. He asked her, “Please, would you bring me a little water in a jug? I need a drink.” As she went to get it, he called out, “And while you’re at it, would you bring me something to eat?”
She said, “I swear, as surely as your God lives, I don’t have so much as a biscuit. I have a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a bottle; you found me scratching together just enough firewood to make a last meal for my son and me. After we eat it, we’ll die.”
Elijah said to her, “Don’t worry about a thing. Go ahead and do what you’ve said. But first make a small biscuit for me and bring it back here. Then go ahead and make a meal from what’s left for you and your son. This is the word of the God of Israel: ‘The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought.’”
And she went right off and did it, did just as Elijah asked. And it turned out as he said—daily food for her and her family. The jar of meal didn’t run out and the bottle of oil didn’t become empty. God’s promise fulfilled to the letter, exactly as Elijah had delivered it!
 
In this Old Testament example the widow was the role model for us in being hospitable. She was willing to share her last bite of food with a stranger. God rewarded her spirit of hospitality by seeing to it that she never ran out of food.
In the New Testament, Jesus was hospitable to the people who came to hear him preach. More than once he fed the crowds. We often re