Space

Lately this idea of space has been on my mind. No, not outer space. Inner space. Space for God and others. I'd totally forgotten where I first read about this idea of space, but was reminded earlier this week, in a post on another blog, while I was still kicking this one around in my mind.

In Sacred Companions, David Benner calls this making space for others the gift of hospitality. ". . . soul friends show hospitality by making space in their lives for others. Making space in my life is more demanding than giving advice, money or some other form of help. But the essence of hospitality is taking another person into my space, into my life."

I know I struggle with this and yet I understand it's part of this idea of community that God wants me to live in. Benner goes on to suggest why making space for others can be challenging: if we don't cultivate a place of quiet in ourselves, we have no place where we can invite others. If we don't know ourselves, in the way God knows us, how can we invite others to know us? And if we haven't made a place for God's spirit to work in my life, we have nothing to offer others anyways.

The beautiful thing about this gift of hospitality that we give and receive is that it first comes to us from God. God welcomes us with open arms into his space . . . his family, bestowing on us a sense of true belonging, and all the riches of his glory. How can we do any less but to invite others, as God leads, into our space?