By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

The Unseen Guest

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
Revelation 3:20 New International Version

Here stands a table with an empty place.  Whose place is this?  Whom are we waiting for?

Growing up, I knew for whom that place was set.  My folks had a plaque on the wall.  It said, “Jesus is the unseen Guest at every meal, the silent Listener to every conversation.”  I realized very early on that Jesus was the unseen Guest at every meal, that He had been invited to come and be in our family circle.

Sometimes that made me uncomfortable.  Jesus is here, listening to what I am saying, watching what I am doing?  That was a little scary and a lot convicting.  I knew very well that I was often not doing what either Jesus or my parents wanted me to do!

But that saying on the wall also comforted me tremendously.  I knew Jesus was there in the hard times, the scary times, the sad times, the hurting times.  I knew that when we invited Him into our family, He could bring forgiveness and comfort and love.  He could comfort in times of grief, He could bring reconciliation in time of conflict, He could bring forgiveness wherever there was repentance.

Even today in our family we continue to ask Jesus to come into our home.  We pray, “Come, Lord Jesus, be our Guest…..”  ”

Jesus, come and rule and direct and comfort and guide and console and correct and love all who are around this table.  We need You here, we want You here, we welcome You here.  You are our Guest, our Host, our Savior, our Lord, our Master.  Come, Lord Jesus….”

Copyright Hold Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado