Three visitors
This week's Bible verses are Genesis 18:1-19:
The last couple weeks, we've looked at a couple examples of humans behaving badly when facing God. But what happens when a righteous man encounters God? In this week's verses, we see an account of what happens when God drops by for an unannounced visit to Abraham. Whereas Adam and Eve hid from God in the cool of the day, and Cain went on the attack, Abraham's response is very different. In the hottest part of the day, the most inconvenient time, he runs to God and welcomes him.
It's weird and cool that God shows up in a group of three men, or as a group of three men. And weirder still that Abraham seems to recognize him anyway. Or maybe he was just bored in the middle of the nowhere? I can remember living on a remote back road as a boy, and whenever we'd hear a car coming, my brother and I would run to see it. So maybe visitors were unusual, and a welcome novelty? Many of us are isolated in our homes right now, so the thrill of new visitors probably speaks to us now in a way it wouldn't have a year ago.
Anyway, Abraham doesn't just wave to the visitors and let them go by. He gives them the full welcome, including water so they can clean up. Having been in the desert myself, I can remember how wonderful it is to be able to wash up after a long journey in the heat. Being offered the chance to wash as a form of welcome is definitely underrated by people in temperate climes.
He also calls for his servants to make them "a bit of food." The measures of flour described, however, were enough to make like a week's worth of bread! He even slaughters a calf, and those aren't small either. He's basically throwing a huge party for these three visitors. It's a completely different attitude than what Adam, Eve, and Cain had when God visited them.
Abraham is completely blessed by welcoming this divine entourage into his world. And God confirms the blessing he had promised before, even sharing his secret plans in the end, and allowing Abraham to negotiate what is going to happen in world events. It's an equally enthusiastic response to Abraham's over the top welcome.
When God shows up in the most inconvenient times for you, do you welcome him? Do you go through great lengths to prolong your encounter when he shows up? Do you make sacrifices? Do you leap to your feet and run to him? These are the actions of a righteous man (or woman) when they encounter God. They are delighted. The novelty hasn't worn off. The experience, even in Abraham's advanced age, still makes him jump.
In your prayer times, when you encounter God, and you are facing him, do you beg him not to pass you by without dwelling for a bit? A lot of our prayers are very businesslike affairs. Salutation, list of demands, and eventually a "formula of politeness" to wrap it up. Done. But compare that with Abraham's encounter: He opens his home, cooks all the meat in his freezer, empties his cupboards, and invites the whole family to participate. He doesn't have a Zoom call, an exercise class, and half a dozen other things he's got to squeeze God in amidst. God is the main show for him.
But it's easy to look at the external actions of Abraham and just try to copy those. We could make loud enthusiastic prayers. We could set prayer and fasting endurance records. We could donate lots of money. We could memorize Bible verses that we feel are promises to us. The difficult thing is to look at what is underneath, the thing that drove Abraham to do all of those things in the first place: Abraham simply loved and respected God.
What else would make you jump up on a hot day and flag God down and spend so much to welcome him into your life? Why choose the best calf? Why make so much bread? Why bow so low? Instead of just looking at the symptoms, trace them back until you find the root of what would make you behave like that. Abraham is described as a righteous man, not because of how he acted on the outside, but because of how he viewed the world internally.
There are a few practical tips we can take from seeing how Abraham welcomed God. First, if God shows up, we should clear our schedule as best we are able. (Obviously if you're flying a plane you're not going to land on a highway and whip out your Bible.) There are no fruitless encounters with God. Even the most mundane prayer time renews the relationship.
Second, examine your heart as well as your actions. If those three visitors showed up during your lunch hour, would you leap to welcome them? Would you buy them a very expensive lunch? How would you be feeling about the whole thing? Excited? Obligated? Annoyed? Hungry? Your feelings tell you where your heart is. It's easier to do the right thing when you see the thing itself as its own reward. (Do you welcome them because you want them to feel welcome, or do you do it because it's "the Christian thing to do?")
Third, don't be afraid to be lavish if that's what you're feeling. Abraham sacrificed in order to express the level of commitment and desire he felt for God's companionship. His extravagance was authentic, coming from his deep love and respect for God, not a desire to put on a show for others.
For those of us in confinement right now, we don't get a chance to stretch our Christian muscles as much as we'd like through outside human contact, but you can still improve yourself by meditating on these verses and examining what they reveal about the state of your heart.
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest time of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
He said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. Let a little water be brought so that you may all wash your feet and rest under the tree. And let me get a bit of food so that you may refresh yourselves since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.” “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”
So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it. Abraham then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food before them. They ate while he was standing near them under a tree.
Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.” One of them said, “I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; Sarah had long since passed menopause.) So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?”
The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child when I am old?’ Is anything impossible for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.”
When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? After all, Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth may receive blessing through him. I have chosen him so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then the Lord will give to Abraham what he promised him.”
The last couple weeks, we've looked at a couple examples of humans behaving badly when facing God. But what happens when a righteous man encounters God? In this week's verses, we see an account of what happens when God drops by for an unannounced visit to Abraham. Whereas Adam and Eve hid from God in the cool of the day, and Cain went on the attack, Abraham's response is very different. In the hottest part of the day, the most inconvenient time, he runs to God and welcomes him.
It's weird and cool that God shows up in a group of three men, or as a group of three men. And weirder still that Abraham seems to recognize him anyway. Or maybe he was just bored in the middle of the nowhere? I can remember living on a remote back road as a boy, and whenever we'd hear a car coming, my brother and I would run to see it. So maybe visitors were unusual, and a welcome novelty? Many of us are isolated in our homes right now, so the thrill of new visitors probably speaks to us now in a way it wouldn't have a year ago.
Anyway, Abraham doesn't just wave to the visitors and let them go by. He gives them the full welcome, including water so they can clean up. Having been in the desert myself, I can remember how wonderful it is to be able to wash up after a long journey in the heat. Being offered the chance to wash as a form of welcome is definitely underrated by people in temperate climes.
He also calls for his servants to make them "a bit of food." The measures of flour described, however, were enough to make like a week's worth of bread! He even slaughters a calf, and those aren't small either. He's basically throwing a huge party for these three visitors. It's a completely different attitude than what Adam, Eve, and Cain had when God visited them.
Abraham is completely blessed by welcoming this divine entourage into his world. And God confirms the blessing he had promised before, even sharing his secret plans in the end, and allowing Abraham to negotiate what is going to happen in world events. It's an equally enthusiastic response to Abraham's over the top welcome.
When God shows up in the most inconvenient times for you, do you welcome him? Do you go through great lengths to prolong your encounter when he shows up? Do you make sacrifices? Do you leap to your feet and run to him? These are the actions of a righteous man (or woman) when they encounter God. They are delighted. The novelty hasn't worn off. The experience, even in Abraham's advanced age, still makes him jump.
In your prayer times, when you encounter God, and you are facing him, do you beg him not to pass you by without dwelling for a bit? A lot of our prayers are very businesslike affairs. Salutation, list of demands, and eventually a "formula of politeness" to wrap it up. Done. But compare that with Abraham's encounter: He opens his home, cooks all the meat in his freezer, empties his cupboards, and invites the whole family to participate. He doesn't have a Zoom call, an exercise class, and half a dozen other things he's got to squeeze God in amidst. God is the main show for him.
But it's easy to look at the external actions of Abraham and just try to copy those. We could make loud enthusiastic prayers. We could set prayer and fasting endurance records. We could donate lots of money. We could memorize Bible verses that we feel are promises to us. The difficult thing is to look at what is underneath, the thing that drove Abraham to do all of those things in the first place: Abraham simply loved and respected God.
What else would make you jump up on a hot day and flag God down and spend so much to welcome him into your life? Why choose the best calf? Why make so much bread? Why bow so low? Instead of just looking at the symptoms, trace them back until you find the root of what would make you behave like that. Abraham is described as a righteous man, not because of how he acted on the outside, but because of how he viewed the world internally.
There are a few practical tips we can take from seeing how Abraham welcomed God. First, if God shows up, we should clear our schedule as best we are able. (Obviously if you're flying a plane you're not going to land on a highway and whip out your Bible.) There are no fruitless encounters with God. Even the most mundane prayer time renews the relationship.
Second, examine your heart as well as your actions. If those three visitors showed up during your lunch hour, would you leap to welcome them? Would you buy them a very expensive lunch? How would you be feeling about the whole thing? Excited? Obligated? Annoyed? Hungry? Your feelings tell you where your heart is. It's easier to do the right thing when you see the thing itself as its own reward. (Do you welcome them because you want them to feel welcome, or do you do it because it's "the Christian thing to do?")
Third, don't be afraid to be lavish if that's what you're feeling. Abraham sacrificed in order to express the level of commitment and desire he felt for God's companionship. His extravagance was authentic, coming from his deep love and respect for God, not a desire to put on a show for others.
For those of us in confinement right now, we don't get a chance to stretch our Christian muscles as much as we'd like through outside human contact, but you can still improve yourself by meditating on these verses and examining what they reveal about the state of your heart.
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