Friday, January 6, 2017

Others First


 OTHERS FIRST

Genesis 18:1-2:  “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.  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.”

 

            Ten year old Shakira woke up with ANOTHER sore throat.  She swallowed hard to see if it would disappear.  “Hi Mom,” she croaked weakly. “Did you sleep here all night?”

            “I didn’t want to leave until you woke up.  The operation was harder and took longer than the doctors predicted,” mom said.  “But everything is good, now. … Yet I fear that you still have a sore throat.”

            Shakira nodded her head, yes.  She didn’t want to talk, but her eyes teared up.

            “Nurse Hetty, will you please prescribe something for her sore throat?” Shakira’s mom inquired.

            “The usual prescription for a sore throat after removing one’s tonsils is ice cream,” was the answer.  What flavor, Shakira?”     

            “Chocolate, of course!” Shakira’s mom teased.

            Shakira feels worse than Abraham felt after his surgery.  Check out the lesson linked below to see what Abraham did the day before the opening scripture.

            Father God waited for Abraham to wake up before appearing to him the morning after his surgery, just like Shakira’s mom.   Abraham was probably delighted to find the Lord checking in on him then, just like Shakira was glad to wake up to her mom.

            Sitting at the entrance to his tent was Abraham’s typical daily routine.  But this was no ordinary day.  Abraham was recovering when God made a house call.

Take Home Nugget

            Abraham’s routine was to meet strangers he saw while sitting at the entrance to his tent.  Today, he was talking with God Almighty.  And when Abraham saw three men nearby, he abruptly left God’s presence to greet them.  We’d consider his behavior rude.  We see no evidence that Abraham pardoned himself, “Hold on, I see three men over there!”

            Abraham RAN to the men.  Their presence made up for yesterday when he missed greeting people.   Abraham understood that there is something even better than talking to God—his plan was to be like God!

            Since humans are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), His intent is for us to be God-like. 

            How are we to be God-like?

            Just as the Lord clothed naked Adam and Eve and visited sick Abraham, so are we to imitate God.  Believers are to consider the needs of others first. 

Father, help me to clothe the naked, visit the sick, feed the hungry, comfort the bereaved, and console those who are sad.  Help me to be God-like You! Amen.        
  

Adapted from “Being Like God” by Rabbi Eckstein.  November 15, 2016.  www.HolyLandMoments.com

J.D. Griffith
 


 

 


                   Written for http://www.Biblestudyforkids.com  

 

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