How Practicing Hospitality Creates Awareness of God's Presence

Have you ever wondered why you feel God's presence more strongly in church than in your everyday life? The answer might surprise you. It's not that God is more present in church—it's that we expect to encounter Him there. But what if we could live with that same awareness of God's presence throughout our entire week?

Before diving deeper into hospitality and gratitude, we must understand a fundamental truth: our provision is found in the presence of the Good Shepherd. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep." Everything we need is met simply by the shepherd being who He is.

This creates a simple equation: Need + Hospitality = Gratitude

The provision of the shepherd—making us lie down in green pastures, leading us beside still waters, preparing a table before us—is best understood as the hospitality of God. When we recognize God's hospitality toward us, gratitude naturally follows.

Think about encountering a famous person in public. You might walk right past them without noticing until someone points them out. The excitement doesn't come from their magical presence—it comes from your awareness of their presence.

The same principle applies to God. He exists in every movement of wind and is reflected in all creation. We experience His presence in church services because we expect it there. But shouldn't our awareness of God's presence extend beyond our weekly gatherings?

The Foundation: God's Provision Meets Our NeedWhy Don't We Always Feel God's Presence?