One of the most influential chapel services I ever attended was a service that I don’t even remember who spoke. I do remember that he was from IDEA ministries and I remember his message. It was based on Matthew 11:28, “come to me all you who are weary and heavy burden.” This speaker handed each of us a business card and offered each of us that we might go to Him if we were tired and heavy burdened(to this day that business card is still sits in my pile of cards). This message made a profound impact in my life because this demonstrated what I believed to be Christian hospitality in its purest form in the simple willingness to bring in a hurt or weary brother or sister!
The night before we were to leave Serbia for Bulgaria we enjoyed a traditional Serbian dinner with our contact Radovan and 15 members of the church. It was an interesting group of people as there were young men who spoke some English, older men who spoke none, and others with whom we used broken Spanish to conquer the language barrier. Either way, with the help of translators, we were able to have a sending off as we kicked off for Bulgaria. In his last words Radovan said to us, “You have a place in Serbia.” I thought back again to that chapel service many years ago and then to the realization that this is the kingdom, laying everything down for a friend of simple an acquaintance. The words of Galatians 6:10 echo this, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Will I ever go back to Serbia?… my instinct says ‘Yes’ because I am a wandering man. Did this statement make a significant impact on me once again… YES!
Matthew 8:20 says, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
He relied on others for a place to lay his head. Let us not forget that as we open up our homes. And let us also not forget whatever we do for the least, we do for Christ!
