To live long is the desire of many people; very few people love to live a very short life span. There are those who love to live a short life; God’s uncommon grace allows them to live a long. Certain people also live as if there is not going to be an end to it. Above all, the Lord God is the only Personality who determines who lives long.

It is important here to now examine briefly what are the reasons for living long in this planet called earth? Let us consider three, among others.

The first reason is to complete your God-given assignment. The living God does everything  with a definite purpose. Whether mankind understands it or not, there is a particular reason for every action God takes. No man will be given chance to have any excuse for failing to fufill his roles before returning to his Creator.

You are here for a purpose, determined to fulfil it.

Prophet Moses the son of  Amram lived for one-hundred and twenty years – to fulfil his own assignment among the people of God; Deuteronomy 34:7.

What was Moses major assignment? On the day he was officially commissioned, the Lord told him.

“I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the

      Children of Israel, out of Egypt.”   Exodus 3:10. New King James Version. NKJV.

In the same vein, Joshua the son of nun lived for one hundred and ten years on the earth; (Joshua 24:29).  He fulfilled his God-given assignment .

What was this? The Lord told him on the day he was commissioned,

“Be strong and of good courage, for to this people (children of Israel) you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.”   Joshua 1:6.

When he had finished doing these, he went back to his Maker to give account of his stewardship.

2. You may be allowed to live long life for the fact that your Maker wants to give you sufficient time to reap what you have sown, good or evil. Rewards for every deed is two-fold; you will be rewarded here on the earth and after this. Gal 6:7 discloses,

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to his Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

Jesus Christ also assures, in Mark 10:29-30 that hundred-folds rewards await those who left all to follow Him in this world and in the age to come, eternal life.

Job lived long to reap the reward of his righteousness. Job 42:16-17 reveals,

“After this, (his troubles and trial), Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. So Job died, old and full of days.”

3. God grants a man long life to give him sufficient time to repent. The Lord who is the Creator of ALL THINGS does not want any man to perish in hell fire after this life. For this purpose He sent Jesus Christ to die for the sins (evil acts) of every man. So, He expects everyone to believe in Jesus Christ and return from their evil ways to the living God.

You can be granted long life to give you enough time to repent. That is God’s desire from you and every man. Apostle Peter told people of his days who wanted to know what they should do thus,

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”   Act 3:19.

Do you know that as you grow old, your experience and understanding of life becomes wide and great? Not only this, your energy to commit certain sins will drastically reduce. You will be wearied in committing them. The tendency becomes high to think of what will happen after this life and take steps towards mending your wrong ways.

Therefore, watch well, be more serious about your God-given assignment that you may complete it, do good and not evil that you may reap good in the last days of your life on earth; then think deeply of your evil ways (vices) and change for better. Confess the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today and start to please Him only. You will not regret doing so.

Stay blessed and prepared  because the Lord is coming soon.

    “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one-hundred
     And thirty years,… and they have not attained to the days of
     The years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.”   Genesis 47:9. NKJV. New King James Version of the Holy Bible.

     The above are the words of Jacob whose name was change to Israel in the Holy Bible. He was a son of Isaac. Jacob was the grandson of Abraham. The right mental attitude of the man Jacob, to see himself as a person who was on pilgrimage on earth was in his blood it is hereditory.

     That is the reason I will like to bring in the story of Abraham to analyse the things involved in genuine hospitality and its rewards. This is also for the purpose of clarity and understanding.

     THINGS INVOLVED.
     In Genesis chapter 18, “in the heat of the day, Abraham lifted his eyes and looked and behold; three men were standing by him.”   Verse two (a-b).

     These men stood by him a few meters away. How did he handle their affairs to be hospitable?
He was available. He used himself. He was the originator of this hospitality. No one was with him under the tree when he saw the three men. The Holy Bible records,
“…he ran from the tent door to meet them.”  
The running was not done by any of his servants but by himself.
To be hospitable, be directly and personally involved.

He was humble. In his hospitality service, he was humble. As rich or wealthy as Abraham was (Gen 13:1-4), he was humble to host three strangers. The Holy Bible records, “…and bowed himself to the ground.”   Verse 2d.
He bowed to people he never knew. What a sign of humility!
He welcome them reverendly, with all honor!

His wife was available for the hospitality service. He instructed Sarah, his wife thus,
“Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal, knead it
And make cakes.”   Gen 18:6.
     He was not on his own. He involved his hearthrob. This shows his seriousness and genuiness in service.
  
His servants were also involved.. Abraham brought in the service of his servants. The Holy Scriptures reveals,
“And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf,
Gave it to a young man, and he hasten to prepare it”   verse seven”
Note that in your own case, you may not have servants. Instead, you can involve your friends’ services or those of your children,if any.

Pleading with the strangers. You can do like Abraham. The pleading words he employed were “my Lord, if I have now found favor in your sight,
Do not pass on by your servant.”     Verse three.

“Quickly” and “haste” are the watchward. Note that in hospitality, there is no room for delay. Note that these words were readily mentioned in verse six, seven. The key words are “quickly” “hurried”, “ran”, “hastened”. No foot-dragging. No time to waste.

Standing by. When everything was ready and the strangers were eating, Abraham did not abandon them. He stood nearby, in case they may have any other needs. He was available to serve them further. The Holy Bible records,
“So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had
Prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under
The tree as they ate.”   Verse eight.

  THE GOAL
     The main purpose of hospitality must not be less than these three:
Rest for the soul of the strangers. Rest from their long journey, hunger, and so on.
Peace of mind. It must be to offer strangers peace of mind. Their heart must not be troubled. They must be well secuered.
Comfort round about. They must be very comfortable in every sense of the word
BENEFIT
     For all that Abraham did to express hospitable service to strangers, he got a better hope of fulfilment of a long-term promise. After meal, one said,
     “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life,
     And behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son”   Gen 18:10.   NKJV.
     This promise was fulfilled.
     To involve yourself in hospitality is to bring nearer to fulfillment the long-term promise from your Father in heaven
    Stay blessed and prepared for the coming of the Lord.

    “the stranger… you shall love him as yourself;
     for you were strangers in the land of Egypt:
     I am the Lord your God.”   Leviticus 19:34
    (New King James Version, NKJV)

     The above instruction was directed at all the people of God. The Holy Scriptures contain such numerous instructions that are of immense value to the people of God. Obeying them has many benefits. It is regretable that the most criticised book in the world is the Holy Bible. These critics are from within and outside christendom.

     Those inside are delibrate rebels or are ignorant of the true meaning and or value of God’s instructions. Those outside are either ignorant and are not ready to be educated or are sworn enemies of the truth.

      There are nations today who feast fat by exploiting their tourism and hospitality potentials, Why can’t an individual reap same benefits from hospitality?. Hospitality remains one of  the keys in the hands of God’s people that can open doors of good things.

TYPES
For the purpose of this piece, let me group hospitality into two, ditto
Permanent
Temporary or seasonal

Permanent hospitality comes up where a stranger
purposes to dwell in a land with the settlers. The strangers may not depart for many years for different ressons. The host must show love to him. That is the reason, the Lord instructed the Jews in Leveticus 19:33-34 thus,
     “And if a stranger dwells with you in your land,
     You shall not mistreat him.
      The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you
     as one born among you, and you  shall love him as youself,
     for you were strangers in the land of Egypt:
I am the Lord your God.”   New Kings James Version (NKJV).

Temporary or seasonal hospitality arises where the
strangers stays for a season or time. This can be a few hours, days, weeks or months. It is even possible to extend into very few years.

     THE KEY WORD
     The key word in acceptable hospitality is LOVE.
     How does love start? What is the origin? The answer to this is God! How?  The Scriptures declares in 1John 4:16 thus,
     “And we have known and believed the love that God has
     for us, God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God,
     and God in him.”
     It is only those who love the Lord “with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strenght” that can go ahead to demonstrate genuine love to their neighbors, including strangers. It is only this kind of people that can “love your neighbor as yourself.”  (read Mark 12:30-31.)

     Do you abide in love to abide in God and God in you? This is the major condition to show hospitality.

NOTE
     Please, note that you are a stranger here on earth. You are here for a period of time. No matter how long you stay here, you will depart one day, what do you want to be remembered for? Please be hospitable!
     In the same vein, pay attention to the fact that opulence does not dictate whether or not you must be hospitable. Register it in your heart that you have something (certain possessions) to demonstrate hospitality. This may be spiritual, physical, financial or social. It can be anything! Let me call your attention to the exhortation of Apostle Paul in Roman 12:1,
     “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,that
     You present your bodies a living sacrifrice, holy, acceptable     to God,
     Which is your reasonable service.”     NKJV
     Henceforth offer reasonable services to the Lord sacrificially, and you will be rewarded bountifully.
     What are the things involved to be genuinely hospitable are the things to examine in the next part of this writeup.
      Stay blessed and prepared for the coming of the Lord.