HE IS NEAR

READING: GENESIS 18:1-15 

Verse 1: “Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.”

This passage describes a very compelling encounter experienced by Abraham the Patriarch. The description given in the verse above doesn’t necessarily produce a very impressive picture of how Abraham was being occupied. You can imagine him sitting there hot and sweaty hoping for a breeze to cool him a little. Not exactly an image of the mighty man of faith in the exercise of a powerful spiritual gifting. However, even though he wasn’t engaged in an act of worship or supplication, the Lord appeared to him. Abraham’s experience provides a lesson. It teaches that God’s choice to approach a person is not controlled by what that person may or may not be doing. Certainly we should reach out to the Lord in all the ways that the Bible teaches. At the same time we must know that we serve the one and only God who according to Ephesians 1:11, “works all things according to the counsel of His will.” He comes to us not according to our time or influence, but according to His infinite knowledge of what must be and how it must be established. When we are properly related to the Lord, anytime can be a time of His appearing! That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. How does it affect you to consider that God could suddenly appear to you?

2. What do you learn from Abraham’s response?