When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
“Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house.”
And he came down quickly and received him with joy.
~ Luke 19:1-10
I have always loved to say that
home is where you can scratch where it itches.
Yes, home is where I can let my mask and defenses down.
Home is where I can allow myself to be vulnerable
without fear of being taken advantage of
or even being harmed or devastated.
When things get rough or difficult,
home is the one safe place for rest and refuge.
I love welcoming family and friends to my home.
I love preparing food for them,
maybe even cooking one or two dishes myself.
I love to think of those who are coming
and serving up what I know are their favorites.
And when they finally come,
I love the bantering and sharing of stories and memories.
We could end up singing or playing games or watching videos together.
I really love it when they stay for the night.
The sharing of stories go deep into the night,
and sometimes into the early morning hours.
I also love going and visiting friends and family in their homes.
There is something about food in other houses.
It is somehow always more delicious than the food at home.
Then at my friends’ house,
anything in the house can be a topic of long conversations.
And when the conversations have quieted down,
the presence of a loved one just a hug or an embrace away
simply makes me want to stay longer,
and linger for yet another while.
Lord, bless me as you blessed Zacchaeus. Come and stay in my house today.