Sanctuary Part two

Romans 12:13 says, "Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality.

There are many places in this world that we could consider inhospitable, and that given a choice, we would prefer not to visit or reside within. Most that spring to mind have extremes of temperature, Deserts, or Ice flows. Some are downright lethal, such as areas where deadly gases exist, or contrary to our ongoing welfare, being found in the middle of a shark infest ocean might fulfil these criteria. All these examples are natural phenomena, but we invent plenty of our own. War zones aplenty exist, and persecution based on creed, colour, sex is rife. To find a place where one can reside in freedom and peace becomes a goal for many. To find a place where one feel welcome, to find a place where one can know, and be known is a blessing.

To fully understand the depths of the heart of God we need to look at the deepest practice of Hospitality as understood from a biblical perspective. In Jewish and other Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) cultures, the offer of staying with a person came with full rights of protection and provision, even if it also came with a time limit. If you were invited to stay with someone, you could expect to be allowed to sleep in peace and have food provided. The Host would, by extending the offer of Hospitality, be also providing protection and succour for those. In most cultures, this offer terminated on Sun up. It was a practical way to make the world work.  Before the days of hotels and Air BNB people relied upon this way to allow them to travel.

For the economy to grow, travel needs to happen, for that to take place, this type of hospitality needed to operate. Those who practised it, understood two things, first, that they may at a future date need to benefit from this self-same attitude, and second it allowed their life to be blessed by those who had taken the time to travel.

In effect, a host would be offering a cloak of protection around those who came under it. They would in more "impactful language", be providing sanctuary to the person needing it.

"The room where we worship is called a sanctuary, from the Latin sanctuary, a derivative of Sanctus, or “holy.” The word sanctuary refers to a holy place but, because churches were once places of legal asylum, the term has also come to mean a place of shelter, a haven, or a refuge."

Lev 19:33

“Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

Deut 10:17

“For the Lord, your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.

God wanted his chosen people to realise what they as a nation had found, first the hospitality of the Egyptians, and then the loss of that offer. Something they were not to repeat, those who visit our countries are to be welcomed, for we as believers remember “we are all foreigners somewhere.”

Thus Hospitality at it’s deepest motivation is the doorway to Sanctuary.

We who have experienced the Joy of Salvation through Christ understand that we were in a world made inhospitable by sin, but through Jesus death and resurrection can find a place of Sanctuary. In a kingdom that Jesus is preparing places for us! Jesus is the ultimate host to us the lost, and we once informed will do well to emulate this behaviour.

The offer of protection, extending one’s cloak over another.