Have you ever found yourself resisting refreshment because it’s offered by a stranger, feels “over the top,” and you don’t feel you deserve it? 

One summer, we were introduced through a friend to a lovely woman named Pat who opened her beautiful home to us for a week-long conference. Through email before we arrived, she wanted to know what groceries she could get ahead of time. “Oh no,” I thought. “We don’t even know this woman. We don’t want to burden her by buying us food.” I quickly wrote back to let her know that she didn’t need to worry about that. We could take care of ourselves.  

When we arrived at her house, she gave us a tour and my jaw dropped at all that she had prepared for us. I fell asleep that night enveloped in cloud-like comfort and care, with tears spilling onto the silk pillowcase. “God, you prepared all this for me???” 

The next morning, we climbed the stairs to find the kitchen prepared with matching dishes, fancy napkins, and a selection of delicious breakfast foods. With joy lighting up her eyes and smile, Pat shared how our being there was an answer to her prayers. When she bought her home, she had prayed that God would use it as a place for people like us who lived overseas to stay while they were back in the US. Really??? All of my guilt for being a burden to her melted away.  

I realized then that I needed to apologize for insisting that we could take care of our own food, because she found so much delight in serving and was so gifted in hospitality. She laughed over my apology and told me “not to mess with her gift!” 

I returned a year later to Pat’s home by myself to attend a women’s conference. This time, when I arrived to find all that she had done in advance of my coming, I felt God smile with me. He reminded me to not even try to feel guilty for all that He had prepared, through Pat, just for me. I could rest and receive her welcoming generosity as a gift. 

God wanted me to experience, through His gift of hospitality in others, how much He delights in bringing refreshment to my thirsty soul. 

My taste of being an honored guest in Pat’s home fed into a greater anticipation of what we have to look forward to, when Jesus said, “There are many rooms in my Father’s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you…” (John 14:2)