ANGLICAN DAILY FOUNTAIN DEVOTIONAL FOR JANUARY 12, 2023 (DIVINE ENCOUNTER)
TOPIC : ”DIVINE ENCOUNTER”
TEXT: Genesis 18: 1-15(NKJV)
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.
2. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw [them,] he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,
3. and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.
4. “Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5. “And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.”
6. So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead [it] and make cakes.”
7. And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave [it] to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it.
8. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set [it] before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9. Then they said to him, “Where [is] Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.”
10. And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which [was] behind him.)
11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; [and] Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13. And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear [a child,] since I am old?’
14. “Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
15. But Sarah denied [it,] saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”
MESSAGE
There may be a gap between when God’s promise is made and when it is fulfilled. This gap often demands spiritual and physical alertness. From our text, we observe that God appeared to Abraham in human form with special packages for his family.
Abraham saw the three visitors and extended hospitality to them (vv. 2-8). In the process of entertainment, the promise of a son was made to Abraham’s family. Who knows what would have happened if Abraham had acted in an unfriendly manner as some of us would have done! The reaction of Sarah here may not be far from what many of us at her age would have done.
However, we should know that with God, nothing is impossible God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. He can visit you through means you least expect. Despite the challenges of our time where people abuse privilege of hospitality, do not give up in doing good. The word of God in Isaiah 3: 10 says that it shall be well with the righteous.
Your long term expectation in life will soon be fulfilled. God has spoken well concerning you; believe it and that settles it.
PRAYER: Precious Father, may your divine visitation come in my life and family this year.
