“And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre:” (Read Genesis 18:1-33)
Evidently three men were walking by in front of the tent of Abraham. When Abraham saw them, he ran to meet them. Abraham was watching. He was not spiritually sleeping. He was cautioned about three months ago. “And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Genesis 17:1) God had great purposes for Abraham but they could not be fulfilled, unless he met Him constantly. He was lifted higher with each meeting with God.
God may demand greater self-denial. Self prevents the best in you from being multiplied by God to live the life of a thousand, in usefulness. Every time God meets us, the self-dying increases. Now God was walking before Abraham's house. In those days when men were more innocent, they could see angels. When revival broke out in Kakinada (a town in Andhra Pradesh), people saw Christ in their homes. If the atmosphere is suitable and pure, God can meet us. After the resurrection, people saw the saints in Jerusalem. God came to see Abraham nine months before he became a father.
God wanted to see if Abraham had taken His warning given three months ago. Abraham had taken the warning and was improving. Abraham must have been meditating at that time. He was not worried about the servants and property. Otherwise he could not have seen God. In the time of our meditation, God wants to meet us and speak to us. But you are too much taken up with the world and the gains of the world. Abraham ran and met God and besought him to come into his house and dine. He called a young man and asked him to prepare a fatted calf. That was the honor given to distinguished guests in those days. The angels talked to him about God's promise given to him. What have you done with the promises God has given you? Have you lost them? If you love God, you will love His promises also.
If you give time for your morning watch grudgingly and serve the Lord half-heartedly, how can God bless you? God was on His way to destroy two great cities. But before that, Abraham began to plead with God. Let our fellowship with God be such that God will share His most intimate problems with us. It was not a pleasure for God to destroy those cities. If there was any hope of improvement, He would never have done it. There was no one to tell them and it was full of sin. There was only one self-righteous man in it.
Is God a destroying agent? No. Evil destroys itself. It is so ordered of God. Would you wish it otherwise? Wickedness destroys itself. I know my classmates who yielded to sin. They are already dead. They destroyed themselves. Sin destroys itself. But it should not destroy you and me. We belong to God. He says, “You are my witness.” “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he:…” (Isaiah 43:10)
The work of salvation-saving men-is given to you and to me. “Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.” (Acts 10:32) The angel came to Cornelius, but did not give the gospel. The angel said, “Send for Simon Peter and he will help you.” This work of saving men is not even given to angels. But it is given to us.
