Entertaining Angels

Genesis 18:1-5 -  And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.  He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the earth, and said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.  Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,  while I fetch a morsel of 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." 

God must love Abraham so much….for he visits him often in the Bible records we have. We are not told what they talk about…but as they are visiting this time….three men appear walking toward him. Maybe God had already left him and he was just relaxing under the trees…soaking up the sweetness of the visit…but I find it curious that he was able to leave the presence of God to run and welcome these strangers. Abraham doesn’t just say hi…he bids them to rest…to wash their feet…to eat with him. Abraham treats these strangers like they were God!

Abraham is such a good host…he models for us how to treat all others…not just our friends…but everyone he allows to walk toward us in life. The presence of the Lord still flowing through his heart…he reaches out to them with the love he was just shown by God. Maybe the recent visit placed a little too much love in his heart…and he had to give some of it away. He races to tell his wife…so she can help prepare the meal for them…and tells her to use the ‘best’ flour…picks out a fatted calf…and places in front of them a meal worthy of God himself.

These strangers turn out to be God’s messengers…angels sent to give Abraham a certain date for the birth of his son. Sarah is even allowed to overhear the message they give to him from the tent door…her laughter at their revelation is a mixture of pure joy and the wonder of God’s ability to do supernaturally what she knows her body is incapable of doing on its own. I know we are not suppose to laugh at God’s divine will for our lives…but if God told me I was going to be a mom at 53…I can just imagine what Sarah was thinking at 90!

We are reminded in Hebrews 13:2 how important it is to show this kind of hospitality to all people…it reads…“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Many have said to be careful around strangers these days…we live in a scary world…and yes…all of those people that beg on the street…hold up signs of need by the side of the road…or approach us for money on the sidewalk…are not angels.  But one of them might be…and you will not recognize them until they speak the message that God sent them to give you…like the ones that spoke to Abraham. I sure do not want to miss the blessing they were sent to give me…and that blessing far outweighs any danger the world has me thinking I might place myself in.

Father…help me to be kind…no not just kind…but be hospitable to the point that I treat all who you send to me as family…that I invite into my home for rest…for washing their feet…for a meal to give them nourishment and energy for the task you placed them on the Earth to do.  Help me to get past what they might be wearing….how clean they might be…and look deep into their heart and see the love that you have placed there….or….see the emptiness that your love can fill like no other. Give me eyes to see the hurt that placed them in this situation…and discernment to know how to help them best.  Give me a heart to love all people…all people….not just the ones I choose. Amen.