Run!

Genesis 18:1-10a
1 The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." 6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." 7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate. 9 They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." 10 Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son."

Reflection

"May I help who is next?"

I heard this last night from a girl working behind the counter at Graeter's Ice Cream. She was very nice and helpful. I paid for the ice cream cones and some cookies and sat down to eat.

In this instance of help, I had to stand in line and wait my turn. I also had to pay. As I think back upon this experience and think about the Scripture above, questions and contrasts come to mind.

• The Lord appeared to Abraham... did the Lord appear to me?
• Abraham saw three men and ran to them... I had to wait my turn.
• Abraham didn't want these visitors to pass by without the chance to serve them... no money required.
• The three men gave Abraham the opportunity to serve... does God likewise give me the opportunity to serve?
• Abraham was excited to serve! Was the girl behind the counter that excited to serve?
• The men left Abraham with a promise. Does God give me a promise?

Did the Lord appear to me? Well maybe. I met another child of God. She was working. She was serving for a wage. Would she serve freely? Probably not. But in some way, even in this girl, there is a creation of God. A bit of God's handiwork before me. How can I deny that I didn't see a little bit of God... maybe more than I could perceive.

I'm excited to see how Abraham responded to the men. But then I think of the context of this passage. Abraham is resting in the shade after having been circumcised. He got up and ran! Really? Abe... take a break after all! But Abraham responded through the pain to see God in the flesh of these visitors. No waiting your turn... if I see God... get up and go! Even if the little guy hurts some. It's God I serve not the other way around! Oh, how I want to serve God in some way... in any way!

God gives us the opportunity to serve... the privilege to serve... the honor to serve. We respond to God; we don't work to gain God's approval, rather we respond to God's grace. We respond to his gift of salvation. We respond to God's promise. We respond to God because of what God has done for you, me and all of us. We respond out of love for God. We respond to serve God and to serve one another in all of our needs. We respond because of God's love.

There is no way we could ever repay God for what God has done for us. Look how this passage ends... God grants life to Sarah and Abraham through the impossible womb of time. I'm sure both Abraham and Sarah couldn't see the gift of life that God was about to grant from the old tomb of Sarah's womb.

Yes! There is a promise! There is a promise of life from the dead. Waaay before Jesus was born from Mary... God came to this earth and blessed Abraham, Sarah and you and me with life from the tomb of a dead womb. God gives life eternal when we may only see death.

And here... here... we see God. Life from death, pain, suffering. God grants us life! Thanks be to God!

Music

Prayer

Lord, open my eyes to see you. To see you in all those who serve, to see you in the stranger, to see you in the traveler and to see you in the promise of life from death. May I run to serve you... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen