Nothing Is Impossible with God
Genesis 18:1-15
8/19/07
Today’s reading from the Hebrew Scriptures seems closer to Greek mythology than our understanding of God. We find God taking on human form visiting the earth with two angels who are also in human form. Abraham notices them close to his tent and invites them to stay for refreshments. It is uncertain whether Abraham realizes that his encounter is a theophany or not. Yet he goes all out with the refreshments, not only offering something to drink and cake but killing a calf and presenting the meat to his guests. Of course, Abraham is simply demonstrating Middle Eastern hospitality that would be required of him. Not only is it intriguing that God is disguised as a human along with his angelic escorts, but God seems to be interested in Sarah’s fertility, which we are more accustomed with the Greek gods having that kind of interest.
The fact is there are a number of instances in the Bible where women are childless and God intervenes and they have a child. In the case of Sarah and Abraham, things are quite extreme. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah was probably in her 90s. Not only was Sarah post-menopausal, but her remark upon hearing God speak about her having children indicates that marital pleasure was a thing of the far past: She laughed at the suggestion of such a thing. God hears her laugh and said at that point: “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” He restates the promise that in due time, Sarah shall have a child.
We are constantly reminded of our limitations and frailties. Our doctors affirm that our bodies and minds will not work forever. Commercials, though, try to sell us items to make us more youthful, such as skin cream, hair color, exercise machines and wonder drugs like what smiling Bob takes, simply confirm that we are in bodies that are in decline. If that was not true, none of those products could be sold! We listen to catchy marketing lines such as, “You are not getting older; you are getting better” … I suppose it suggests better-looking or more vigorous in life. Despite what commercials, TV and magazines tell us, we do live with limits and must face the limits, despite all the advances of science-
Sarah’s response to the absurd notion of her having a child seems very appropriate and well adjusted. She had accepted the fact that she could not have children and could even laugh at someone suggesting such a thought. She knew it was beyond what Abraham and she could do.
Typically, Sarah’s understanding of life and the way things work is true. Yet God had promised a nation to Abraham, and God was not going to allow any obstacle to get in the way. Normally, God restrains God’s self and allows creation to function within specific limits and rules. Yet the thrust of today’s passage is that God can go beyond all limits to accomplish great and wonderful things.
Jesus experienced the same limited thinking among his followers: Often he would perform miracles and wonders and then assure his disciples that they would see and even do greater things. God promised Abraham and Sarah that he would return and that Sarah would, indeed, bear a son. We don’t know exactly how this happened, but we do understand that God recognized no bounds when it came to keeping the promise made to Abraham and Sarah.
That leads us to today. As followers of Christ, what should we expect, both in our personal lives and in our corporate life? Has God given up visiting humanity, blessing couples, helping them to have life even at a time when they would normally be preparing for death? Was Jesus serious when he said his disciples would do greater things than him? We are a modern people who are beyond angels and heavenly visits and immaculate conceptions. I think Sarah answers that question for us; when her son was born, she named him laughter. God is the one who opens the doors to infinite possibilities. God is the one who is not satisfied with a relationship that only lasts 75 or 80 years … God gives us eternal life so that our relationship can continue. God is the one who can gift a barren couple with a child. I call upon each person to open up to the future that God makes possible and to dream dreams … even as the prophet Joel stated that in the end times, old men would dream dreams. I call upon Arlington Forest to move beyond its past and concentrating on the limits of the present to imagine what God wants us to be about. Even to start to laugh as we consider the possibilities. Amen.