Visiting and giving!

 Genesis 18: 1-15: v10: “Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son.”

Words that stood out

The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them. “My Lord,” he said, “If it pleases you, stop here for a while.” “All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.” Abraham took some yogurt and milk and roasted meat, and he served it to the men. Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son.” Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master-my husband- is also so old?” Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying “I didn’t laugh.” But the Lord said, “No you did laugh.”

Reflection

The first thing that I noticed was how Abraham responded instantly on seeing the three men. He encouraged his whole house into action to attend to the needs of the three men. And as he served them, they responded with words he had longed to hear, that he was to have a son. His practical wife laughed when she heard as she was unable to imagine the unimaginable. And when caught out by her reaction, she denied it. God lovingly responded, “Yes you did.” As so often in bible stories we can see ourselves. In the man who responded to the unexpected. In the women who laughed when confronted with God fulfilling His promise to her. In the denial of our unbelief. Just as these stories are in the beginning of the bible, and great things occur until the very end, so our lives are the same when we follow, worship and trust the Lord. Only through Him do all good things happen in our lives and some more amazing than we can imagine!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for being a part of our lives, as you visit us when we least expect it, to fulfill your promises with the gifts that you have for us. Amen.