Becky Crenshaw

“…and a woman named Martha received and welcomed Him into her house.” Luke 10:38b AMP

I just need to say this for the record.

Martha is awesome.

She gets a bad rap sometimes, but let’s be honest. If it wasn’t for these words in Luke 10:38, we wouldn’t be having this particular Advent series, would we?! Sweet Martha set the stage by doing what I am encouraging us all to do this holiday… “receive and welcome Him into our house.”

May I have a little literary freedom for a moment?

“Have you forgotten that your body is now the sacred temple of the Spirit of Holiness, who lives in you? You don’t belong to yourself any longer, for the gift of God, the Holy Spirit, lives inside your sanctuary.” 1 Corinthians 6:19 TPT

We spend a lot of energy preparing our home at Christmas. This year has merited a tree in every bedroom, lights on every square inch of our house and a funnel helmet full of peppermint mocha, at all times. I mean, give me as much Bing Crosby as possible, please. It has been a year. Mercy. So I know we are super excited about a joyful focus for the next several weeks. But have we forgotten that our bodies are the sacred temple of God? As a believer in Jesus, you, my friend, are a sanctuary. Your physical body is the CHOSEN dwelling of the Spirit of God. Hang a wreath on that thought for a moment. Wow.

And what if we intentionally, right now in this moment, “received and welcomed Jesus into this home in our heart” in the most vulnerable and real way possible? Receive Him.

Just like Martha.

I imagine there was a stirring outside of her door that caused her to step out on the stoop. I assume people were shuffling around, excited that JESUS and His disciples were making their way through this village. Martha was the one who called His name and received Him in. She was the one.

See, Martha is awesome, right? She wasn’t going to miss this opportunity to have Jesus come in. And I beg you, this morning, not to miss it either.

Choosing What Is Better:

• The word “receive” means to “admit as a guest.” Jesus isn’t one to barge His way into our lives. He longs to come in, but needs an open door. Have you ever accepted Jesus into your life? If not, I would love nothing more than to share more about this. Jesus came as a baby to die as a sacrifice for you (that’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown!). He would have done it all …. just for you. The birth. The manger. The ministry. The Cross. The death. The resurrection. All. For. You. Would you be open to receiving Jesus into your life today as Lord? If you have questions please contact me via this blog!
• If you ARE a believer, the same is true. Jesus isn’t going to barge into our lives either. We may have some dead bolts in place that make us onlookers through the window, admire Jesus from a distance, but not invite Him in. What causes this barrier in you? Take a few minutes to consider what is holding you back from welcoming Him FULLY into your life.
• The word “receive” also means “to show hospitality.” If you are a believer and feel you are always open to Jesus coming straight in to your heart and having liberty to settle deeply into your soul, how can you be more mindful this holiday to “offer hospitality” to Him? Think about it. Hospitality looks like serving, having conversation, sitting long and loving much. Mmmmm. I want this with Jesus, don’t you? Think about your own life and how we can receive Jesus in a more intentional, mindful way.