You ever sit down to REALLY get caught up on your personal Bible Study, thinking you’ll get through LOTS and LOTS of scripture…and God just say, “Nope…I just need you to see this today.”?
It’s really not something I needed to hear, but a confirmation that maybe I’m doing a few things right. Does that even make sense? Maybe I can pass on some love and advice to you…and have a gentle reminder for myself.
In Genesis 18:1-8, we find Abraham resting in the heat when three men, presumed to be the Lord Himself, and/or perhaps angels. We can’t be certain, but we can be certain that God was present and talking with Abraham during this encounter.
Abraham ran to Sarah to ensure that refreshment was prepared for his unusual guests, and it’s obvious from Abraham’s reactions that these guests meant a great deal to him and were to be treated with reverent hospitability, and he was honored to have them.
We’re going to stop at verse 8. Verses 9-33, while obviously related, get into an entirely different subject than I want you to consider today.
ABRAHAM PREPARED REFRESHMENTS AND PROVIDED REST FOR THE LORD.
Listen, y’all. If God himself is worthy and (I can’t imagine…but let’s go with it) in need of rest and refreshment, why do we think that we are not? Abraham practically begged these guests to allow him to serve them before they went on their way.
There’s another thing here that catches my attention that I want to pass on to you. I generally look at my days ahead in deciding how much I can take on any given day, and for any given week. I do this because I know what my mind and body can handle. I do this because because there are certain things I want to REALLY engage in and enjoy, and not just passively be present or, worse, barely tolerate being present for them. So, here’s what I don’t do: try to ‘Spring Clean’ my entire house the week before a vacation, go on a major errand day the day before my child’s big game, plan outings/social visits on the days leading up to my children’s birthday parties, or allow friends and family to bully me into doing things I don’t have the capacity to handle at the moment. Here’s what I do do..(🤣I really want to edit that…but I’ll leave it…because it made me laugh): I give myself permission to REST and do nothing. Read a book. Take a nap. Make easy meals. Vegetate. Etc.
See what I’m saying?
Dolly said it best…
A dear friend once said to me that my family should be my most important guests (aside from God, of course). I beg to take that a step further…God over and again tells us to rest and, in these passages, demonstrates so clearly the need for rest and refreshment.
Friends, please…drop the guilt…and love yourself as much as our precious Lord loves you. I assure you, that you are worthy. Treat yourself as well as you would a stranger.
Hebrews 13:2 reminds us, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
