After wandering the
streets of Pupperville for several hours, Papa Purple decided he
better head back to the Pizzeria. Bill Peterson had been sitting in
a comer booth when he appeared to come down with the dreaded Peterson
Disease and took off. Papa Purple had thought he could help the
police find Bill and took off leaving his Pizzeria unattended. Of
course he wasn't too worried as he hadn't had any customers for
several days do to the Peterson disease.
As he walked back
into the pizzeria he was shocked to see Bill Peterson sitting back in
the corner booth where he had been sitting earlier and just like
earlier, he was staring at a glass of water. “Is that you, Bill?”
Papa Purple asked, “Or are you General George Washington?” “Of
course it's me.” Bill answered, “What's it take to get a pizza
around here?”
“I thought you
had the Peterson disease?” Papa Purple said to which Bill
immediately let out a loud scream. “Are you okay?” Papa Purple
asked not sure what to do. “You mentioned that, that, that...”
Bill said to which Papa Purple finished by saying “Peterson
disease.” When Bill heard that he let out another loud scream.
“But I was sure
you had it.” Papa Purple said. “I did.” Bill said, “But it
has been a very strange day. As I was on my way to Valley Forge, I
met a strange looking man.” “With this disease going around
that's not so strange.” Papa Purple injected. “Yeah,” Bill
Said, “But this man was strange. He was glowing.”
“Glowing people?”
Papa purple send with a snort, “You are still sick. You need to
get to the hospital.” “But I'm cured.” Bil said, “I don't
really know how but I'm cured. I think it had something to do with
the strange man that showed up. Do you suppose he could have been an
angel?” “Why do you say that?” Papa Purple asked.
“Because of what
he told me.” Bill said, “He told me that I didn’t need to
change my name.” “So.” Papa purple said, “I could have told
you that.” “But,” Protested, Bill, “You're the only one I
told that to. And then the man told me that the whole town was going
to get the disease, but not to worry they would all get better and
thank me.”
“You definitely
need to get to the hospital.” Papa Purple said, “That message is
way too starnge to be true.” “I thought so too.” Bill said, “I
even started laughing. I told him that it was impossible that
anybody would thank me for all of this.”
“What happened
after that?” Papa Purple asked. “He disappeared.” Bill
replied, “Into thin air. And then, I found myself healed and
sitting back hear in this booth.” “Wow!” Papa Purple
exclaimed, “That is strange.” “Tell me about it.” Bill said
and then after a short pause he continued, “Wait, I just told you
about it. I need to go. See you later.”
And God said to
Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name
Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I
will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become
nations; kings of peoples shall come from her." Then Abraham
fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, "Shall a child
be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is
ninety years old, bear a child?"
Genesis
17:15-17 (ESV)
God reaffirmed His
promise to Abraham that Sarah would have a son and Abraham laughed
but he's not the only one to laugh because he though it was
impossible.
And the LORD
appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his
tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and
behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he
ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth
... And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good,
and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 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 Sarah your wife?" And he said, "She
is in the tent." The LORD said, "I will surely return to
you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son."
And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and
Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be
with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I am
worn out, and my lord 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 hard for the LORD?
At the appointed time I will return to you about this time next year,
and Sarah shall have a son." But Sarah denied it, saying, "I
did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you
did laugh."
Genesis
18:1- 14 (ESV)
In Deuteronomy
10:19 God told the people "Therefore love the stranger, for
you were strangers in the land of Egypt. (NKJV) In Romans 12:13
the idea is conveyed again where it says Share with God’s people
who need help. Bring strangers in need into your homes. (NCV)
Abraham saw what to us appear
to be strangers and he treated them to hospitality. In Hebrews
13:2 we are reminded
Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it! (NLT)
Have you ever
showed hospitality to a stranger? Have you entertained angels
without knowing it? The angels that Abraham brought a message like
the angel brought to Bill in our Pupperville story, a message that
was hard to believe, a message that made the hearer laugh. While we
could go on to talk about other angelic visits in the Bible, I would
like to focus on the angels words in verse 14 “Is anything too
hard for the LORD?” If
God says He will do something, He will do it because He can do it.
-
Jeremiah 32:17 Oh, Lord GOD, you made the skies and the earth with your very great power. There is nothing too hard for you to do. (NCV)
-
Matthew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “This is something people cannot do, but God can do all things. (NCV)
-
Luke 1:37 For nothing is impossible with God. (NLT)
Here's
Something To Ponder
-
When God tells you He will do something that seems impossible will you believe Him or laugh at Him?
-
In What ways has God tested you with what seems impossible?
No comments:
Post a Comment