Rambling Thoughts about "Receiving" and "Being Received"

Today I awoke with thoughts about “receiving” one another and “being received.” I remember my mentor/friend/home school coordinator/ Bible teacher Donna saying many times that “such and such a person didn’t receive you, did they?” Or “you didn’t receive that person, did you?”

I remember this always caused me to wonder… what does it mean to “receive” a person? It always seemed like a different/deeper thing than accepting a person or what they had to say, etc.

Me RECEIVING my “big boys” on family vacation 2021

So today I went on a Bible search…

Romans 15:7 came up when I put in about receiving one another. Most translations say “accepting one another.” Now to me “accepting” means more like “putting up with” or at best “accepting them because that’s just they way they are.”

But back when Donna used to say it, I somehow knew that “receiving” was much deeper and purer and more loving than just “accepting.” So look at how the NKJV translates that verse:

Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.
Romans 15:7 NKJV

Then I saw that the Message (MSG) says “welcome.”

So reach out and welcome one another to God’s glory. Jesus did it; now you do it!
Romans 15:7 MSG

I knew it!!!! It IS deeper and purer and more loving! In fact, the original Greek word means “to take to oneself, to receive gladly, to welcome.” (Zodiates, Word Study in the NT) And that’s how God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit receives and welcomes us!

And so, dear brothers and sisters, when you hear that in Christ you are accepted, don’t minimize it. God doesn’t just “put up with us!” NO! You and I are welcomed, received to His heart gladly!

And now we can do this for one another…

Amen!

PS Thanks so much for listening to my ramblings!