Loving Others Through Justice and Hospitality

Close your eyes and breathe. Focus on your breathing. Notice your body and let go of any tension you may be feeling. As you return to your breath, begin to focus on God. Give to Him whatever may be preventing you from being present at this moment. Once you have let go of the world around you, grab your Bible and read 1 John, chapter 4, verses 7 through 12. What word or phrase draws your attention?

Reflecting on this scripture, the phrase “His love is brought to full expression in us” commands my attention. Exploring this a little more deeply, love comes from God and we are to share that love with one another.

In our culture today, we have perverted and misused the word love and many struggle to embrace and live in the love of God.

In the 1984 song “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” performed by Tina Turner, love is described as a second-hand emotion as it explores the conflict between physical attraction and emotional commitment. This is especially true if someone has been hurt or betrayed by love.

Love is much more than an emotion. Love is action. The three principles and six practices of the Lectio 365 Prayer App are; We love God through prayer and creativity, We love others through justice and hospitality, and We love the world through mission and learning.

In order to act or do something, the mind has to be prepared and thought through the action for the body to act. Otherwise, the body will not go where the mind has not been. Therefore, to love our neighbors as ourselves or to love others as God commands must be more than words we read and say. We must put into action the words from 1 John 4:7; "Let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God."

Look at hospitality for example. Hospitality to most people looks like an outward space that one is invited into that feels safe and welcoming. But the word hospitality is actually much bigger than that. Going more deeply, we create space within our hearts, minds, and souls to make safe and welcome others.

Cindy Lee writes in her book, “Our Un-form-ing - De-Westernizing Spiritual Formation,” that Cultivating hospitality begins in our own souls and flows outward. Hospitality is about people who are creating space within their own souls to allow the other to share space in their soul.

If we do not have space within our souls, we will struggle to demonstrate God’s love to our neighbor or others. Space is critical to demonstrate kindness, patience, grace, justice, humility and presence. All of these are qualities of love in action.

Love is more than a second-hand emotion. Love is God! And Love requires space in our hearts, mind, body, and soul. So What’s love go to do with it? EVERYTHING!!

P.  Pause - Take time throughout your day to be still and listen to your breathing. Invite

     God in to your space and give him your focus.

R.  Rejoice with God’s people in the Psalms or Reflect upon the Scripture from the 730

      or the Lectio or other devotional you are journeying through.

A. Ask God to reveal how you may be able to create more space for his love and love those

you care about.

Y.   Yield to God; welcome His love, His plans and His presence into your day.