Abraham, Sarah and The Triune God pray

Genesis 18

Yahweh appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them, and bowed to the ground. 'My lord,' he said, 'if I find favour with you, please do not pass your servant by. Let me have a little water brought, and you can wash your feet and have a rest under the tree. Let me fetch a little bread and you can refresh yourselves before going further, now that you have come in your servant's direction.' They replied, 'Do as you say.'

Abraham hurried to the tent and said to Sarah, 'Quick, knead three measures of best flour and make loaves.' Then, running to the herd, Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then taking curds, milk and the calf which had been prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remained standing near them under the tree.

'Where is your wife Sarah?' they asked him. 'She is in the tent,' he replied. Then his guest said, 'I shall come back to you next year, and then your wife Sarah will have a son.' Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well on in years, and Sarah had ceased to have her monthly periods. So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, 'Now that I am past the age of childbearing, and my husband is an old man, is pleasure to come my way again?' But Yahweh asked Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, "Am I really going to have a child now that I am old?" Nothing is impossible for Yahweh. I shall come back to you at the same time next year and Sarah will have a son.' Sarah said, 'I did not laugh,' lying because she was afraid. But he replied, 'Oh yes, you did laugh.'

From there the men set out and arrived within sight of Sodom, with Abraham accompanying them to speed them on their way.

Ah man...look at the difference in this prayer between God and Abraham compared to the prayer between God and The Two in the Garden. We really grew in appreciating time with God…

Abraham ran to the Triune God. Abraham checked in, if you will, and anticipated what the Triune God needed...what we might need when we visit others: rest, water, food. He asked the Triune God to visit, “please don’t pass your servant by” stay awhile…

I pray I will invite God into everything. My favorite prayer time is first thing in the morning. I grab a cup of coffee on my way into the backyard to watch the sunrise. I hope I always remember to invite God to grab a cup, too...to sit with me...watch the sunrise together…

Abraham invites Sarah to be involved in this prayer, too, “Quick make the bread.” And, he invites his servant to be a part in this prayer by simply offering him the things the servant needed to be involved...concretely preparing the tender calf.

I pray I will always accept the invitation another offers to pray through the vehicle presented ~ here “the best flour” and “the tender calf” ~ when I am Sarah or the Servant in this story…

Warning ~ TANGENT

I pray I will never be afraid to ask another to pray with me. I pray I will always accept an other’s invitation to pray with them

At Mass one day the Priest invited us to pray with our body sometimes even if that meant a simple sway back and forth or as complex as to dance.

A person handed me a Rosary once.

The person standing next to me extended a hand.

I remember fondly the first time I was invited to a Hindu temple...She even handed me a bouquet of flowers to present.

Where was I...oh yeah...

God asked his host where his partner was BY NAME...isn’t that beautiful…”where’s your wife Sarah?”

I pray that everytime God asks me where someone important to me is I accept that as an invitation to call out to that person, ‘hey, come here with us!’ rather than leave my significant other in the tent. Maybe then God can ask my friend a question directly rather than through me, “Why did Sarah laugh…?”

Sarah engaged anyway, “I didn’t laugh.” I can see God’s eye twinkle gently…’yeah, you did.’ No judgement. Just acknowledgement. I can see God’s body language saying it’s alright, sister…

This part of the story ends with Abraham finishing the walk to the Triune God’s destination...

My heart beats and I sigh