We don’t speak of a hearth very often now. It is an old word used for a fireplace or the place in a house where the fire was and the family would cook on it and receive the warmth from it. It was the gathering place on cold winters nights where they would sit and eat and talk together. In ancient times you would invite strangers into your home to share your hearth with you as an act of hospitality. In the story that our verse comes from Abraham is visited by three strangers and as they arrive he instructs his wife Sarah to make food for them so they can sit and eat around the fire. This is the welcoming in of strangers. It turns out that these three strangers are angels that Abraham and Sarah are welcoming in. Today we don’t have hearths. At least we don’t use them in the same way as people did in the past. We have kitchens and central heating and so gathering around the hearth is a thing of the past. But maybe we are poorer for that. Maybe we have opportunities to rediscover something of this past welcome of strangers to our hearth today though. In our current energy crisis we have seen buinesses, churches and others open their doors to share this warmth with others. Young and old gathering together for a hot drink, a warm radiator and the opportunity to talk. It shouldn’t really take a crisis like this though to encourage us to open our doors to others. The ancient tradition of welcoming strangers can be one we rediscover today.
Photo Challenge: Take a picture of something inspired by the word Hearth. Use the hashtag #woryem
Hearth
Hearth for warmth
Hearth for amenity
Hearth
There is a hearth for you in this season of advent
Stop for a moment
Welcome each other in this moment.
We are a community of faith.
Strandlopers on a journey.
We can offer our hearth in this season of advent
By God’s grace we go.
Amen
Has been a part of BeachcomberFX since his arrival in the North East in 2014. He is well travelled (at least in the UK) having lived in Manchester, Nottingham, Derbyshire, Southport, Doncaster, Berwick and Edinburgh. Supporter of Newcastle United, will watch any sport.