January Devotions

Hospitality of the Heart

Hospitality in Scripture is far more than setting a beautiful table or opening our home. It begins much deeper. Hospitality starts in the heart.

It is the willingness to make space — emotionally, spiritually, relationally — for another person.

Paul’s words in Romans are addressed to everyday Christians living ordinary lives. He isn’t asking them to host grand events or entertain strangers with polished charm. He is calling them to a posture of openness:

Make room. Create margin. Let others in.

In a world that rushes, protects, and sometimes isolates, hospitality is countercultural. It slows down long enough to notice who is missing, who is near, and who is in need of welcome. Hospitality of heart says:

• “I see you.”
• “You’re safe here.”
• “You matter.”
• “I can share what I have — even if it’s small.”

God has made space for us through Christ — a place of forgiveness, belonging, and grace. When we make space for others, we reflect His generous heart.

A minister once described how a woman in his church transformed their fellowship simply by her presence. She didn’t lead from the front, organise big events, or speak often. But every Sunday, she stood near the door, smiled at each person, and said, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

Newcomers mentioned her more than any sermon.

Long-time members said her welcome made the church feel like family.

One man, going through a painful divorce, said, “That greeting was the only warm moment of my week.”

She never hosted a dinner party or led a hospitality team — she simply made space in her heart. A smile, a welcome, a moment of attention. And it changed lives.

Small welcomes often carry the greatest weight.

Prayer

Welcoming God,

Thank You that You have made room for me in Your love.

Today, open my heart to make room for someone else.

Slow me down to notice who needs time, attention, or simple warmth.

Teach me to practise hospitality in quiet, genuine ways —

not just through what I offer, but through how I see and value others.

May my presence create a safe place of grace.

Amen.

Practice for Today: Make Space for Someone

Choose one way to offer hospitality of heart:

• Give someone your full attention without rushing.
• Sit beside someone who seems alone.
• Invite a conversation with someone you might normally pass by.
• Offer a warm welcome to a neighbour, colleague, or stranger.
• Create a few minutes of margin to simply be present to someone who needs it.

Make space. Hold space. Share space.

Let your welcome be a quiet blessing wherever you go.

January Devotions

Generosity in Small Places

Proverbs 11:25 — “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

We often imagine generosity as something big or impressive—writing a large cheque, giving hours of our time, or doing something that makes a noticeable difference. But Scripture reminds us that God notices the small things just as much.

“Whoever refreshes others…” — the Hebrew idea behind refreshing is to give a breath of life, a moment of relief, a cup of cool water to someone weary. It doesn’t take much: a kind word, a brief message, a cup of tea placed in someone’s hand, a moment of listening.

In God’s economy, small generosity has large impact. Little acts create little ripples… that become big refreshment. And the miracle of it is this: as we refresh others, something in us is refreshed too. Generosity enlarges the heart. It opens us to joy. It frees us from the tight-fistedness that steals life from the soul.

Today, God invites you to be faithful in the small places where generosity is possible: the unnoticed corners, the fleeting interactions, the ordinary moments that often pass by without a thought. These are the spaces where heaven quietly breaks in.

A charity worker once told the story of a boy who came daily to their community centre. He came from a difficult home, rarely smiled, and spoke very little. One afternoon, a volunteer noticed the boy sitting alone and quietly placed a biscuit next to him with a simple, “This is for you.”

The boy didn’t respond at first. But the next day he came back to the same volunteer and whispered, “Thank you. No one’s been kind like that before.”

It wasn’t the biscuit that changed him—it was the message behind it: You are seen. You matter.

Years later, that same boy returned as a young man to volunteer, saying, “I’m here because someone once gave me something small… and it made me feel big.”

Small generosity creates large hope.

Generous God,

Thank you that you refresh us daily with grace we do not earn and kindness we do not deserve.

Open my eyes today to the small places where a gentle word, a quiet gift, or a simple kindness can bring life to another.

Make my heart generous in the ordinary moments, and may the refreshing I offer reflect the refreshing You give.

Use even my smallest acts for Your great glory.

Amen.

Practice for Today: A Small Act of Giving

Choose one simple, intentional act of generosity:

• Give someone an unexpected compliment.
• Leave a note of encouragement.
• Make a cup of tea for someone who needs a moment of peace.
• Send a short message of thanks or appreciation.
• Slip a small gift or treat into someone’s hand or pocket.

Let it be small. Let it be quiet. Let it be sincere.

And trust that God will multiply it.

January Devotions

Forgiving Slowly

I must admit, today’s devotional title—Forgiving Slowly—is not one I’ve often come across. After all, Paul’s instruction in Colossians 3:12–13 seems to point us in the opposite direction:

“So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offence. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” (The Message)

But perhaps one word in Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase gives us a clue: completely.

To forgive completely often takes time. It suggests depth, honesty, and the kind of inner work that may not be instantaneous. A quick declaration of “I forgive you” can be easy; a wholehearted, healed, and restored forgiveness is often something more gradual — sometimes even costly.

Forgiveness, then, is not simply a moment but a journey. It moves at the pace of healing. It is a practice that asks patience of us — patience with our own wounded hearts, and sometimes patience with the slow process of rebuilding trust. Even when we choose to forgive, echoes of hurt may still arise. This doesn’t mean we have failed. It means we are human.

Forgiving slowly does not mean condoning harm; it means choosing to release the grip of resentment, step by step, so we ourselves may walk into freedom.

Imagine picking up a rope that has a tight knot in the middle. You can tug at it, yank it, or try to force it loose, but often the only result is a tighter, more tangled knot.

However, if you sit with it patiently — loosening one small part at a time, gently easing one loop free before working on the next — the knot eventually gives way.

Forgiveness works very much like that.

The first tug — the decision to forgive — is important. But the full unravelling of hurt takes time, gentleness, and repeated willingness. Slowly, patiently, God’s grace helps loosen the knots inside us until freedom begins to emerge.

Prayer

Gracious and patient God,

you know the knots that tighten within our hearts

and the hurts we struggle to release.

Teach us the grace of forgiving slowly —

with honesty, with courage,

and with a trust that you walk each step with us.

Help us to begin the work,

to loosen what binds us,

and to grow in the compassion and love

that Christ has shown to us.

May your Spirit heal what is wounded

and free us from all that keeps us bound.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

January Devotions

Offering Peace

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to carry peace with them wherever they go? Their very presence calms a room. And then there are others who — without even trying — seem to generate an atmosphere of frantic energy, confusion, or even conflict.

Paul, in Romans 12:18, teaches that disciples of Jesus Christ are called to live in a way that runs counter to the currents of this world:

“Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Don’t insist on getting even. That’s not for you to do. ‘I’ll do the judging,’ says God. ‘I’ll take care of it.’”

But how do we live like that? How do we become people who carry peace instead of chaos?

Hafsat Abiola, a Nigerian human rights and democracy activist, offers a beautiful insight:

“Peace comes from being able to contribute the best that we have, and all that we are, toward creating a world that supports everyone. But it is also securing the space for others to contribute the best that they have and all that they are.”

Perhaps this is close to the kind of peace Jesus spoke about — not the fragile peace that depends on circumstances, but a peace rooted in God, generous enough to create space for others to flourish.

Imagine dropping a pebble into a still pond. The ripples move outward, touching every part of the surface. Our actions — especially peaceful ones — work the same way. A gentle word in a tense moment, a patient pause before responding, a willingness to listen rather than react… these are small pebbles that create widening circles of grace.

And just as ripples can disturb the water when a stone is thrown in anger, our frantic or reactive behaviours can unsettle the environments we move through.

The question becomes: What kind of ripples am I sending out today?

Prayer

God of peace and stillness,

you entered our world not with force but with gentleness,

not with clamour but with calm.

Teach us to carry your peace into every place we step.

Quiet our hurried hearts,

soften our reactive spirits,

and help us to make space for others to grow,

just as you make space for us.

May our words be pebbles of grace,

our actions ripples of kindness,

and our presence a small reflection of your great peace.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Practice: Choose one peaceful response.

This week, look for one moment in which you might instinctively react — and instead choose a peaceful response: a softer word, a slower pace, a listening ear, or a prayerful breath before you speak.

January Devotions

Encourage One Another

Hebrews 10:24–25
“Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do, but spurring each other on—especially as we see the Big Day approaching.” (The Message)

Encouragement may well be one of the most undervalued ministries in the church today. In a world that often amplifies criticism and discouragement, the simple, grace-filled act of lifting one another up can feel like a lost art. And yet, Scripture reminds us that encouragement is essential—not optional—for the life and mission of God’s people.

In Hebrew thought, encouragement is far more than offering a warm sentiment. It is bound up in rich words like chazak—“to be strong, to strengthen”—and tikvah—“hope.” Encouragement is an act of giving strength, restoring hope, and helping someone stand when life has made them weary.

Sometimes this strengthening is personal and inward: like David who “strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” But often it is communal. A well-known Hebrew phrase, “Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek,” means, “Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened.” The repetition makes the point clear: we become strong when we strengthen one another.

The early Christians who first heard the letter to the Hebrews would have recognised this idea immediately. The writer is urging believers to take up this ancient practice and apply it to their life together in Christ: to be intentional, creative, even “inventive” in the ways they encourage one another—so that love might grow, faith might deepen, and hope might endure.

A pastor once kept a small coal on the mantlepiece in his study. When people came to him saying,
“I don’t really need church; I can manage faith on my own,”
he would take the coal with tongs, place it alone on the hearth, and sit down.

At first, the coal glowed as brightly as the rest in the fire.
But within a minute or two, it began to cool, grow dull, and lose its life.
Finally, he picked it up again and returned it to the fire—where it instantly reignited.

He would then simply say,
“Christian faith is like that.
We burn brightest together.”

Encouragement is the gentle, holy work of placing one another back into the warmth of the fire—reminding each other of God’s love, God’s promise, and God’s calling upon our lives.

A Prayer

God of hope and strength,
we thank you that you never tire of encouraging us.
When we are weary, you lift us;
when we are uncertain, you guide us;
and when we feel alone, you surround us with your people.

Teach us to be encouragers—
those who speak life, offer hope,
and help rekindle the flame of faith in others.
Make us inventive in love,
generous in kindness,
and faithful in meeting together.

Strengthen us, Lord,
and through your Holy Spirit
help us strengthen one another,
so that together we may shine with your light
until the Day of Christ comes in glory.

Chazak, chazak, v’nitchazek—
Be strong, be strong, and let us be strengthened.
Amen.

Practice: Send one kind message.

January Devotions

Our theme for the next seven days is framed in the notion of  “Small Steps Toward Others”

Seeing People as Beloved

Genesis 1:27 – “So God created humans to be like himself; he made men and women. God gave them his blessing.”

The idea of being made in the image of God—imago Dei—means that humans reflect divine qualities and hold a special place in creation. It’s not about physical appearance, but about our capacity for reason, morality, relationships, and our role as God’s representatives on Earth.

But what is the primary nature of the image of God? At the heart of it is love. As 1 John teaches, “God is love”. Love is not merely something God does; it is who He is. His love is unconditional, sacrificial, and life-giving, most clearly shown in sending Jesus as the ultimate act of redemption.

If God sees us as made in His image, then every person we encounter is a reflection of His love. To see others rightly is to see them as beloved by God—not merely as people with faults, differences, or usefulness to us, but as souls cherished by the Creator.

Imagine walking into a crowded room and pausing to notice the faces around you. Each person carries a story, a history, and a heart made in God’s image. Seeing them through God’s eyes—beloved, cherished, and valued—changes how you treat them. A simple smile or a patient word can reflect God’s love in a tangible way.

Lord, help me to see others as You see them—as beloved, made in Your image, and worthy of love. Teach me to reflect Your love in my words and actions, to notice the value in every person I meet, and to treat them with the dignity and care that comes from Your heart. Amen.

Practice: Bless someone silently as you pass them.