God
visits us. It is very precious moment of our life. We all have very special
moment of God’s presence in our live. God appears to us in special ways. Sometimes
his presence is tangible and other times intangible. One of the peculiarity of
our God is that he appears in the form of human being. Even Bible describes God
using anthropomorphic words. Here God appeared to Abraham in human form (Gen 18).
1.
Receptiveness and Sensitiveness to God’s presence (V.2)
Abraham
saw God. Even though he is very old man, he stood and went out to receive God’s
presence. It is very important to leave our tent in order to receive God. We
may have different comfort zones but sometime we need to leave them to receive
God. God wants to draws very close relationship with us. He likes to come near
to man in intimacy. But man should be sensitive to God’s move and also should
be receptive.
2.
Humbling Yourselves in worship (V.2)
Abraham
bowed low to the ground before God. It is an act of worship. It also indicate that these beings are not
angels but God himself because angels usually stop any human being bows before
them. One of the great way of responding to God’s presence is worship. Worship
brings adoration, honour, praise and respect to God. It also helps us to humble
ourselves before God.
3.
Do not pass your servant by (V.3)
It
is a cry of every soul to God, especially when we encounter his presence. It is
also an invitation to God to come into our lives in greater measure. Those
disciples who went to Emmaus talked to Jesus throughout the way but they
insisted him to stay with them when he was about to pass by them in the
evening. It led them to opening their own spiritual eyes and realized the
presence of Jesus (LK 24.28-29). Jacob also cried to God that “I will not let
You go unless you bless me (Gen 18.3).
4.
Offering best to God (vv 4-7)
Abraham
rushed to the tent and made best food for them. He had chosen the best calf to
God. He made the food and served them to God and stood near the visitor in
humility and servant hood. What we see here is response of Abraham to God with
his all spirit, soul and body in sacrifice. He offered the food sacrifice to
God with all his heart. In NT, Rom 12.1 says offer your bodies as living sacrifices.
Today we do not have sacrifice but our life is a sacrifice to God. Sacrifice in
OT indicates worship. Thus, in NT our lives should be a worship to God. It
should be a daily act.
5. Time of fulfillment (vv 9-10)
God
informed Abraham the time of fulfillment of the long standing promise of child.
It is sure that if God promises something, he will fulfill. Habakkuk 2.3 “For
revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove
false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not
delay.” God presence is very essential to experience fulfillment of promise in
our lives. The heart of the worship is this: My life needs God’s presence to
work God’s purpose in my life.”
6.
Laugh of Unbelief (vv10-12)
Sarah
could not believe it. We may reach God's appointed time for us but sometimes we are not able to understand it. Her name changed in the previous chapter but her faith
does not change. She thought not in the term of faith but in terms of human standards
and situation. He said within herself that it is impossible that sound good in
her situation. If you believe in terms of situation and what is seen, you may
not experience supernatural intervention in your life. We need to respond to
God in faith.
7.
Is anything too hard for the Lord?(v 14)
God
reminded her that God can do anything for her. Things may be hard for us but it
is not hard to God. When God’s appointed times comes, natural things will
replace with supernatural, impossible will replace with possible, bareness will
replace with fruitfulness, unfulfilled dreams and desire will replace with
achievements. We also learn to respond to God being sensitive to the time watch
of God.