Living in the Spirit

July 12, 2022

Scripture Reading: Genesis 18:1-10a

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. 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. He said, ‘My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 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.’ And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. 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. –Genesis 18:1-8

Did you catch that? The Lord [Yahwah] appeared, and Abraham runs to greet three men he saw, he bows to them and said ‘My lord [an honorary title] and offers hospitality. The appearance of the Lord seems to be in and among the arrival of the three men. Hospitality was a very important responsibility in Abraham’s culture that was carried down through my family. Our doors were opened to anyone who stopped, and no one ever left without at the very least an offer of a drink of water. We had a neighbor with a mental illness who spent much of her day walking up and down the country road that led from her house by ours. She occasionally entered our back kitchen screen door without knocking. She never spoke but my mother would always carry on a one-way conversation with her inviting her to have a seat at the table, while Mom talked about how hot or cold it might be, that we might need rain, and that the tomato crop had been good this year. Mom always offered her a glass of water or tea if we had it, and food which she never touched. My mother had a look she gave we kids that said be nice and be quiet while the woman was there. Just as quickly as she arrived, she would suddenly stand up and leave out the back door and continue her walk. We are all made in the image of God, I believe my mother saw God’s image in everyone she met just as Abraham did, just as we should continue to do today.

Prayer: Lord, we live in a sometimes scary world, help us find ways to love through our fears and help our hospitality be constructive in the lives of the people we meet. 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.