SCRIPTURE
Genesis 18:1-15 (NRSV)
God eats with Abraham and Sarah
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, "My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on - since you have come to your servant." So they said, "Do as you have said." And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes." Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." Then one said, "I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?" The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son." But Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh"; for she was afraid. He said, "Oh yes, you did laugh."
DEVOTION
My favorite sentence in today’s devotional is when the Lord says to Abraham, “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?”
I don’t know about you, but when I survey my life—and the lives of my friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers—I see unexpected and wonderful blessings on a daily basis.
I’m sure that if you take a moment to think about your life, you would be able to add your own testimony as well.
I know of someone who lost her husband and thought that love would never again return to her heart, but then the Lord sent a loving and kind man to be her husband. I know of someone who was sure that because of the folly of his youth he would never find a job, but then the Lord provided opportunity for him to earn a decent living doing what he loves to do! I know of someone who was sure that she would never have additional children, but then the Lord blessed her body and she had a son!
Oh, alright, that last person was me! (smile)
See, I am Sarah. I laughed when my daughter told me that I was pregnant. I knew the report of the doctors and specialists. But, then the Lord stepped into my situation and I gave birth to the most wonderful and miraculous little boy I’ve ever seen.
So I am a living witness that nothing is too wonderful for God to accomplish. As Christians, we know that this is assuredly true because God loves us so much that God gave Jesus to die on the cross to save us from our sin and gift us with eternal life.
How wonderful! When we put all of our hope in Jesus, our relationship with God is reconciled, our sin is forgiven, and we are granted access to an eternal and everlasting party that has no end!
Listen, dear ones, be on the lookout for God to show up in unexpected ways, times, and people! My Benedictine friends say, “Welcome everyone as Christ!”
You simply cannot know who God will use to bring GOOD NEWS into your life! Be open, be receptive, and be willing to believe God when the GOOD NEWS comes…
After all, if God did not withhold Isaac from Sarah, or Jesus from us, God will not withhold any other good gift that we truly need!
Today, I am smiling. Indeed, GOOD NEWS abounds!
Will you be on the lookout for God’s blessing today? If so, please pray with me:
God, thank you that nothing is too wonderful for you to accomplish! You know the secret desires of my heart. Where my will, matches up with Your will, I pray the manifestation of your divine blessing and providence into my life. I believe—by faith—that I am healthy, happy, holy, and whole! Won’t you please help me to share Your love, care, and blessings with others? In Jesus Name, Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
To listen to audio recordings of Pastor Yolanda's Sunday sermons, please visit http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/57814 or click the widget to the right on this page!
If you would like to put all of your hope in Jesus today, please visit my blog entitled, “Putting All Your Hope In Jesus” located at
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/putting-all-your-hope-in-jesus.html
If you have additional questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, "Come to Jesus"
http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com/2009/03/come-to-jesus.html
Pastor Yolanda is now publishing another blog entitled, “A Spoken WORD” in celebration of Holy Hip Hop, Gospel/Christian Rap and Spoken Word. Please check it out @ http://aspokenword.blogspot.com/
You are invited to follow Pastor Yolanda on Twitter www.twitter.com/PastorYolanda
Good News has now added a Prayer Ministry. http://www.kindlejoy.com/groups/goodnews
You are invited to leave comments or questions regarding today’s devotional. These comments are public.
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Thanks for reading and please come again. Pastor Yolanda extends a very special welcome to all of our friends reading outside of the United States of America! We are honored that you are sharing with us today.
From Pastor Yolanda's blog http://aintathatgoodnews.blogspot.com
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