Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Genesis 18:1 -- Just When You Least Expect Him

Genesis 18:1: Now the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.

I love this verse. I love the way it is written. I love the details it provides and the picture it paints. The “heat of the day” depicts for me a sense of discomfort. “Sitting at the tent door” implies a resolve that not much can be done about life at this point in time – perhaps even a sense of reflection on days past. Perhaps there’s a yearning for the company of God, but clearly no expectation that He will show up. Just when Abraham least expects Him, God “appeared to him”. What a change in the scene and its mood. What a life-change moment – God reappeared to him. And He did so in a familiar place – the oaks or trees of Mamre that were part of the plain to which Abram had moved his tent to as we read in Genesis 13.

God has this amazing record of appearing to us when we least expect Him, when we have exhausted our resources, and we’re struggling under the ‘heat’ of life. As we reflect on the relationship we once had with Him, he appears to give us new life, new hope, a fresh start, or additional direction. But He comes when He needs to and He’s never late.

It would be great if you would share your thoughts or questions on this blog in the comments section below or on social media.

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