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Showing posts with the label Hebrews 13:1-3

Give Me Shelter

Isaiah 58:6-12, Hebrews 13:1-3, Matthew 25:31-46 Oh, a storm is threat'ning My very life today If I don't get some shelter Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away. So begins “ Gimme Shelter ” by the Rolling Stones – a classic Vietnam era song that reminded us that war is just a shot a way and love is as close as a kiss. Shelter is a thing that most of us take for granted, but the word itself implies vulnerability. On a basic level we seek shelter from the elements. On a deeper level, perhaps a primal level, shelter means protection from harm. Whether it be from bombs or abuse, seeking shelter is a basic survival instinct. Talking about hospitality, particularly hospitality from a Biblical perspective, flips the conversation from seeking shelter to offering shelter. Now we can talk about the metaphor of safe spaces and relationships of care, but the scriptures are pretty clear that sheltering others is about offering a safe place to live. In fact the Prophet Isaiah talks about shelte...