Living in the Spirit
June 12, 2017
Scripture Reading: Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7
They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’ The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’—Genesis 18:9-15
Given the same circumstances, like Sarah, I might laugh too; so might you. Jesus seemed to enjoy life, a good indication that God might get a twinkle in God’s eye on occasion also when surprise leads to joy. Some of us take things at face values; others almost always need proof or at least to probe deeper.
Sarah’s reaction is only one focus of the scripture. The eight verses preceding those quoted above describe the routine but radical hospitality that was prevalent in the Middle East in Abraham’s time. Abraham and Sarah were welcoming strangers long before Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. God’s messengers reciprocated the warm hospitality with the best wishes they could proclaim. Abraham understood that all people are God’s people.
On arriving at the end of the dirt road that intersects a state highway, a relative of mine encountered a Hispanic family with not only a flat tire and no spare but a ruined tire. Only a youth spoke English, and after some unsure discussion, my relative took the man and the youth to the closest town 15 miles away and worked with the local Walmart to get a new tire. The rest of the family stayed with the car. When they went to pay, the youth translated that the man did not bring any money. My relative swallowed hard, thinking he was scammed but paid for the tire anyway and took the youth and the man back to their car. As soon as they arrived the man spoke to his wife, she dug into her purse and pulled the exact amount needed for the tire and handed it to the man who gave it to my relative. The two men working together mounting the tire onto the car. The family was most grateful for the help, and my relative wished them well as they drove away. God was served and a youth observed two brothers in Christ acting like they knew their Parent well.
Prayer: Lord, help us always be aware that what we do is a reflecting of you at all times in all ways. Make us good role models. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the new Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.