Hospitality

DEVOTION

GENESIS

HOSPITALITY

Gen 18:1-8

18:1 The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. 3 He said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way — now that you have come to your servant." "Very well," they answered, "do as you say." 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread." 7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

NIV

It is interesting that Moses uses the word Yahweh in saying the Lord appeared to Abraham, but he also says that Abraham used the word Adonaay when he addressed the three approaching him. This was indeed the Lord, or angels of the Lords as there was three beings whom Abraham saw. Did He recognize them as angels of the Lord? Certainly he showed them a great deal of hospitality, running to them and bowing so low to them, offering them rest, water and food. This was not just some quickie lunch thrown together as flour had to be kneaded and baked, as well as a calf slaughtered and cooked. We are talking hours of preparation for this meal, as the men sat in the shade of this tree. Some points here about angels might be our lesson, but also points about hospitality. We are reminded what the writer of Hebrews said,

Heb 13:1-2

13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

NIV

Surely in our cultural today we do not sit at our front door waiting for strangers to walk by and run up to them asking them to recline in our front yard under the shade of a tree while we bring them lunch. We might consider it extremely unsafe to invite a stranger into our home to serve them lunch. But we do encounter strangers all throughout our daily activities, if those activities take us out of our homes. How do we treat these strangers? Do we just ignore them, not even making eye contact with them? Perhaps just a smile in passing would suffice as a small token of hospitality. Then again there are times when in our daily work, we encounter strangers, as perhaps customers or patrons. Maybe we meet other co-workers from other facilities, or new workers who are strangers. Are we hospitable or do we wait to see if they are? We may never know if we are entertaining angels. This brings us to a point about these beings who visited Abraham. It appears they resembled human form, as Abraham saw three men coming toward his encampment. They also ate and drank human food. It would have been far different if the Lord appeared to Abraham in some supernatural form. Yet here are three somewhat ordinary forms of beings, men. Abraham either sensed their divine nature or simply was that humble of a man, that he would extend this extreme hospitality toward them.  Another though about our hospitality extends to our church life. Do we extend our hand of hospitality to strangers in church? Do we tend to simply stick to our own little groups and not even notice that visiting stranger? What if we are the visiting stranger? Are we offered hospitality or ignored? We would think that within the confines of a spiritual house of worship, hospitality would abound. But then is it just confined within the walls? We might shake a few hands, say good morning and leave it at that. But do we extend our hospitality, asking them to recline as we serve them lunch? Do we go out of our way to entertain them in an appropriate manner within our culture, such as inviting them to have lunch with us after church? Do we only gather with our known acquaintances or do we extend our hand of fellowship to strangers. They can only be strangers once. It is something to ponder on. How would God have us behave toward them? Maybe one or two of them are angels, secret shoppers, so to speak. Is not hospitality one of the gifts of the Spirit? Do we just refuse that one?