Morning By Morning #246

Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her.

Mark 1:30

From the pen of Charles Spurgeon:

This small look into the apostle Peter’s house is quite interesting. We quickly see that everyday household joys and tasks should be no hindrance whatsoever to ministry. In fact, we see Peter’s hospitality furnishing the opportunity to personally witness the Lord’s gracious work to his own family. This may have even been a better instructor to him as a future teacher himself than any other earthly discipline. Catholicism and other sects may denounce marriage for some, but true Christianity and household life are very compatible. Peter’s house was probably a poor fisherman’s hut, but the Lord of Glory entered it, slept in it, and performed a miracle in it.

Perhaps you are reading this devotional book today in some very humble cottage, but may Peter’s experience encourage those of your household to seek the fellowship of King Jesus. God is actually found more often in little huts than in palaces. Jesus is looking around your room even now and is waiting to be gracious to you. A deadly fever had entered into Simon Peter’s house, sending his mother-in-law to bed, but as soon as Jesus was told of her sad affliction, He hurried to her side.

Is there any sickness in your house this morning? Jesus is by far the best physician, so go to Him at once and tell Him all about it, immediately laying the case before Him. And because it concerns one of His people, it will not be a trivial matter to Him. Notice how the Savior restored the sick woman to health at once, for no one can heal as He does. The Lord may not instantly remove all sicknesses from those we love, but we can know that believing prayer for the sick is far more likely to be followed by restoration than anything else in the world. And when He does not heal, we must meekly submit to His will from which life and death are determined.

The tender heart of Jesus waits to hear our troubles. May we pour them into His patient ears.

From the pen of Jim Reimann:

It was not until the excavations of 1968 – 1986, long after the time of Spurgeon, that archaeologists believe they discovered the house of Peter in Capernaum. The house was venerated as early as the second century AD and has since had two churches built over it. One of those, from the middle of the fifth century, is octagonal in shape, perhaps to symbolize the eight beatitudes that were preached nearby.

As Spurgeon thought, Peter’s home is small and unassuming. What a great reminder that the Lord uses “the nobodies” of the world to accomplish His greatest work! How many humble pastors and missionaries, whose names we will never know, will do great things for God today? How many of us, everyday believers in our everyday homes with our everyday hospitality, will entertain the Lord of the universe!

We should take this instruction to heart: “Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it” (Heb. 13:1 – 2).