Genesis 18 has a couple key lessons we want to camp on. First – God and a couple others appear to Abraham while he is sitting by his tent during the hottest part of the day. It was uncomfortable and Abraham was resting and trying to stay cool. But when God shows up Abraham springs into action and asks if he can serve Him. Note what happens after God says they will be glad to get a drink and a meal. “Abraham hurried to the tent”. He didn’t wander slowly – he saw a need – found an opportunity to serve and sprang into action. He went all out too. Had Sarah bake the bread, one of his servants slaughter the calf, got it all cooked up and fed them. That is action – that is true serving. He saw a need and made it happen. Now – not later. On their time, not his. Too often serving is something we do if convenient or it fits our schedule. We do it if there seems to be something in it for us. Serving means we just do – we see a need or opportunity and we focus on that, not self.
One of the messages that God has for Abraham is that he will become the father of many nations. Of course, Sarah being over 90 years old, laughs inside at the thought. But God takes offense to that and this verse is one we all need to realize and cling to: “Is anything too hard for GOD”? The obvious answer is no. Nothing is too hard for God and we certainly should never give up on His ability. God can do anything He chooses. We just need to line up with what His will is. God reveals why He has selected Abraham as the father of many nations: “I’ve settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe GOD’s way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly”. Want to know how to please God as a parent? Train your children for God’s way of life and to live kindly, generously and fairly. That is our charge as parents serving the Master.
The third key thing in this chapter revolves around Abraham’s actions when God talks about wiping out Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham serves as an intercessor. An intercessor is one who stands between God and another, and in this case, it is a literal thing. “Abraham stood in GOD’s path, blocking his way”. That is serious intercession, but what we need to be willing to do as we intercede for others. It requires we have a right relationship with God. We are confessed up, forgiven, and walking with Him. But if we are truly going to pray for others, we need to be willing to truly intercede on their behalf. That means we take up their interest as our own. We put their best ahead of self. We take on their situation and pray on their behalf. Scripture tells us Jesus is doing that for us today as believers. But we need to learn to pray like this, and have a relationship that allows us to face God and intercede. Are you an intercessor? Are you willing to stand in God’s path?
