Blessings to you all for this Sunday’s service!
Visits from loving followers of Jesus to people’s homes, visits in hospital, or visits to institutions and other settings can be truly life giving. There is something so special about knowing that someone has thought of you enough to want to see you and wants to come into your world in some way. Even if the visit is brief to drop off food or gifts, it means a lot to many of us just to be thought of.
When Jesus teaches his disciples at the very end of Matthew chapter 10, he reminds them that there is another spiritual dynamic at play in visiting. With each of Jesus’ ‘little ones’ or ‘the least of these’ of all his disciples, Jesus equips them with spiritual blessings and gifts to give to those who extend their hand of welcome. Put simply, with every visit that happens, Jesus comes too, and he is a major part of that visit. So much so, that sometimes people who have spiritual opposition to God can reject the Christian visitor simply because of the One who comes with them.
But for those who don’t know God who might make the move to offer even a ‘cup of cold water’ of love and hospitality to one of Jesus’ disciples, will find that they may receive something truly special from the Lord Jesus. That cup of cold water also can occur the other way round too, as visitors of the Lord Jesus can bring that cold refreshing spiritual water to those who are thirsty and in need. We all need to be prepared to visit each other more in love and in the Lord’s name. I especially want to pray too in this current climate that our pastoral care and visitation will not only help people feel loved but also will give more opportunities for people to share their deeper struggles as well.
Pastor Matt
