August 31, 2026

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“’Where is your wife Sarah?‘ the Lord, appearing in three persons, asked Abraham. ‘There, in the tent,’ he said. Then the Lord, appearing in three persons, said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year and Sarah, your wife, will have a son.‘” (Genesis 18.9-10a)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

God is true to His Word. At the end of chapter 17, God declares that Abraham will have a son who will carry on the legacy of having faith in God. Abraham, as we remember, entered into a position of bargaining for Ishmael to carry the responsibility of the blessing for all future generations. However, God was not having any of it because His covenant was first established with Abram and Sarai. It was established from the beginning of Abraham’s hearing the Word of God calling him to go to the land that God would show him. When God made His final declaration (17.22), God left. Now in chapter 18, God reappears to Abraham. This time God appears in the form of three persons. I will not assume nor debate a trinitarian proposal with the introduction of “the three visitors” identified as the appearance of the Lord. It does seem to ask us to consider it, albeit that the concept of the Trinity is not truly presented theologically until a much later time. We know of the assertion in the Genesis 1 Creation Story of the “us/our” revelation of God when it comes to creating humanity, male and female. And while that reference does speak in plurality, it does not identify “three persons” as we see in today’s text. The focus is, of course, that regardless of the number of “persons,” the true identity is that of God’s appearing. Whether they are emissaries, ambassadors, God’s representative angels is immaterial to the event itself. What we do know is that God appears. Abraham recognizes that it is a divine visitation. He has seen and talked with God before. His reaction to the appearance of the “three visitors” is one of honor and service. Further, the time of their appearance is not far removed from when God had just left. We know this because Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he, Ishmael and all the males associated by blood or by price to Abraham was circumcised. When Isaac was born, Abraham was one hundred years old. Thus, the one-year promise of Sarah giving birth to a male child establishes the time frame for us.

What is significant about this? First and foremost, as we have reflected upon before, God is true to His Word. Within the time presented (Ishmael was thirteen when he was circumcised and thus it would be attributed to him to be a man), we know that the time for transition had to be at hand. Why? Because if Ishmael had continued to live under such favor and covenant relationship with Abraham then how could it be said that the promise was not through Ishmael and not in the son of Abraham and Sarah. Second, God Himself is confirming with the pronouncement of Isaac’s birth with an established date. It alludes to the fact that Isaac had not been conceived as of that moment since the gestation of a baby is nine months. For me this is significant because it is the Father who determines the when far more than the mother. In the Middle Eastern wedding tradition, the groom is not allowed to return to claim his bride until: 1) the building of their “house” is completed and 2) the father gives his blessing and permission. In that moment, the groom (regardless of the hour) “leaves his father and mother as does a woman leave her home.” God’s design is flawless and we might say- “by the book.”

So what does that intimate for us? We, too, must wait on the Lord for the fullness of His mercy and promised grace. The word “grace” means gift. Further it point to a “spiritual gift” which comes from God for the purpose of completing “His will be done.” As in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins/Bridesmaids, our task is to stay prepared for we do not know the hour nor the day of the Lord’s coming. In this instance, even though Abraham was aware that God had promised, Sarah did not. When we heard the word given, she “laughed” or more reasonably she “scoffed” and such scoffing was validated by the human fact: she and Abraham were too old to be bringing a child into the world. We, however, cannot allow ourselves to fall into the trap of “human understanding.” It is for instances like this that Solomon in all his wisdom would be able to see the work of God leading up to his day and declare “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Commit to Him your ways and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3.5-6) Mighty ones of God, God can do such a thing. God will do such a thing so as to fulfill His covenant promise with His children. Whether it is what others meant for evil (as in the days of Joseph and his jealous brothers) or His loving sacrifice of His only begotten Son so that we might have life and have it abundantly by believing on Him and in Him. Trust in God’s Word. Hold fast to what you have been told and what you have heard. Wait on Him. He will never fail.

TODAY’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness endeavor, but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.