1-2 God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.
3-5 He said, "Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant. I'll get some water so you can wash your feet. Rest under this tree. I'll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path." (The Message)
Abraham's encounters with God continue. Abraham does what everyone in his culture would have assumed was the right thing to do when strangers come and that is to provide hospitality. At first look we might simply think that Abraham was giving hospitality because it was God who came to visit but that was not the case. Abraham's culture assumed that hospitality was the standard procedure. Hospitality was what kept the culture and society alive in a day before supermarkets and hotels. Over the course of the Bible story we see the importance of hospitality given to strangers and the ways in which God used that hospitality for divine purposes. Hospitality was a necessity for basic survival then, is it still necessary today?
Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:
- What might have been Abraham's first thoughts when he saw the strangers standing there?
- In what ways is Abraham's life changed by the hospitality that he offers?
- Has your life ever been changed by offering hospitality? In what ways?
- What can you do to offer hospitality on a more regular basis?
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