Give Hospitably

One cold winter day Charlie and Carman Lee Miller, a couple in the church where I grew up, invited all the young people over to their home. They promised good food and a good time, and about twenty of us showed up. But the main reason for the event was to celebrate the safe return of one of our parishioners from his tour of duty in Vietnam. Wendell was now on his way to Europe to serve our country there, and the Millers wanted us to pray for his continued safety.

Charlie and Carman Lee were well known in our little church for their warm hospitality. On this evening we gathered in the living room of their snug red brick home and feasted on finger sandwiches, veggies and dip, homemade baked beans and potato salad.

At the end of the party, all of us gathered in a circle and joined hands. Charlie began the prayer: “Thank You, dear Lord, for keeping Wendell out of harm’s way while he was in Vietnam. We thank You for bringing him back to us and ask You to continue to keep him safe and ever close to You.”

Wendell was the first real soldier I had ever known. His service in Vietnam was one of the things that led to my thirty-one-year career as a registered nurse caring for our nation’s veterans.

Charlie and Carman Lee’s gift of hospitality also taught me something profound about prayer. If our pastor had simply challenged the youth “to remember Wendell in your prayers,” a few of us would have likely done so. But get a group of hungry teens together and feed them some great homemade fixin’s, and you’ve set the stage for some real praying.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for open hearts and open homes.