Preparing Our Hearts for Annual Session: 30 Days of Prayer and Devotion - Day 18

Day 18 - Hospitality as Ministry

Melissa Parent

Seaview Baptist Church

ABCNJ Council Member

Scripture:  Romans 12:13 — "Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers."

Reflection:

What would you have to do before someone comes over to visit you at home?

Clean the house? Go grocery shopping? Wash the dishes in the sink? Put the laundry

away? It all seems overwhelming. It’s too much. 20% of us would rather grab a coffee or

meet up for lunch at a restaurant instead of hosting them at home.

But Paul isn’t talking about hosting or having friends over. He is talking about

something much deeper. Hospitality is far more than opening the doors of our homes. It is a ministry that welcomes, encourages, and reminds others that they are seen, valued, and loved by God. It is about opening our hearts to reflect the love of Christ. 

Jesus continually welcomed those who felt forgotten, offering compassion before judgment and grace before expectation. As his followers, we are called to do the same by extending a welcome to a stranger with a warm smile, a listening ear, an invitation to worship, or by meeting a practical need. Every act of hospitality becomes an opportunity to share Christ’s love.

May we be known not only for what we believe but also for simple acts of kindness and

generous love, so that Christ may be seen in us and our hospitality may become a living testimony of God’s grace.

Prayer: Welcoming God, thank You for receiving us with grace and making room for us in Your family. Open our hearts to those who feel unseen, forgotten, or out of place. Teach us to welcome others with the compassion of Jesus so that our words, actions, churches, and communities become places where Your generous love can be experienced. Amen.

Practice: Notice someone you do not usually engage—a visitor, neighbor, newcomer, or someone on the margins. Take the initiative to welcome them. Learn their name, listen to their story, or invite them to a conversation. Let your attention communicate that they are seen and valued.