In the 70’s and early 80’s there was an obsession with UFO’s and making connections with alien life forms. One of the key films that was at the heart of this craze was Close Encounters of a 3rd Kind. There is a desperate search in mankind to find life outside of earth. That’s one of the main aims of our space program – to find life. Just this week there was a news report of a star which has nine planets around it giving scientists hope of finding life.
We can search and search and we will find life and that life is the Lord God Almighty who fills all and is in all. You don’t have to travel to the far ends of the universe to find him – you merely have to open your eyes, open your heart, open the Bible and you will meet the ONE who exists on the far reaches of the universe and also exists right here. The very word “Encounter” means ‘to come upon face to face.’ He is wanting to meet with you – to have an encounter with YOU not just once but every day. What is that encounter normally called? Prayer!
This morning we turn to Abraham, the man of faith. He was given great promises by God that he would be the father of a great nation, a great land, and a blessing to all the nations. None of those promises had come true at that time but God had repeatedly promised that Abraham would have a child with Sarah.
And now, some time later, God makes a surprise visit to Abraham and Sarah at their tent home. He comes in the form of a man along with two angels by his side who also appear as men. Please read with me Genesis 18:1-5…
1. Welcome Him (1-5)
The first crucial part of an encounter with God is welcoming Him just like Abraham did. Somehow Abraham realized this was no ordinary visitor – he discerned it was the Lord himself. How he knew that is not certain. But his first reaction was bowing down and inviting for a meal. It’s a typical reaction in the middle east to this day – hospitality is expected for a visitor. And what a great visitor this is!
Does prayer matter? Absolutely! Does it change things? Certainly! It’s the key to life and death. Our spirit connects with God. And prayer begins with welcoming God into your home just as Abraham did. Without a welcome, you might as well put up a “keep out!” sign.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock…” Rev. 3:20. Is the Lord Christ welcome in your home? Is he welcome in your most private of places. I remember when Peter was going around trying to sell popcorn for boy scouts. He went door to door in our neighborhood and at many of the houses, he was simply ignored. They were inside watching TV. You could hear people talking and they ignored the doorbell.
Prayer has no meaning for our lives if we don’t first welcome the Lord. He can come with his blessings of forgiveness, of spiritual fruit, of guidance and protection. But if we simply don’t answer the door, how will he do anything?
Not too many weeks ago, our worship team led us in a new song and the lyrics go like this:
This is Your house, Your home
We welcome You, Lord, we welcome You
This is Your house, Your home
We welcome You today
As we offer up our hearts and lives
Let them be a living sacrifice
Have Your way!
Be glorified in everything we do
Be glorified in everything we say
Have Your way!
Do you honestly welcome the Lord into your house? Into your life to change what he wants to change? If not, we might as well just quit right now and go home because worship and prayer is useless. Welcome Him! He wants in to your heart – into your personal life and what you do the rest of the day outside of this worship service.
2. Serve Him (6-8)
Then after welcoming Him, the next crucial part of an encounter with God is serving Him.
Notice what Abraham does next as we read verses 6-8… Abraham very quickly mobilizes his wife to bake some cake or bread. He slaughters a calf and roasts it. He serves them milk and cheese. (was this the first version of fast food?)
In Hebrew we find the common word “ebed.” It means to serve but also to worship and to obey. Serving the Lord means to agree to his rules. Serving the Lord means to be under his authority. But serving also means to worship his name, to honor him and bless him.
For us, worship doesn’t involve cooking a meal for God or making something for him – God doesn’t need food. We worship with the song on our hearts and words of praise on our lips. We glorify him in our hearts.
1 Chronicles 16:29-31 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"
Notice how crucial that is in our worship service – we spend a large part of our service simply feeding the Lord. Again, no – he doesn’t need anything. But he loves praise – he loves his children telling him who he is and lifting up his name. That is why we emphasize that in our service. When was the last time you spent time just ministering to the Lord? Not asking for anything but just praising his name. Sometimes we consider that a waste of time – something to get through in order to get to the substantial stuff like the sermon or the devotional reading.
But expressing love to the Lord is as crucial as it is between a husband and a wife. Oh, how we love to hear those words of tenderness from our spouse. (maybe it’s time to also tell your spouse “I love you!”) The Lord loves it even more so. And it energizes our life to praise him from our heart.
And I hope that you spend time worshipping Him in your home – in your personal time with him. It would be a tragedy if Sunday morning is the only time you worship the Lord. He deserves so much more!
3. Pour out your heart (18:9, 13)
Daily God encounters begin with a welcome, continue with worship and then next there is a pouring out of the heart.
What does the Lord say? He asks Abraham a question: “Where is Sarah your wife?” (18:9) Later the Lord asks: “Why did she laugh?(18:13)
At the heart of this visit is Sarah – she is still barren and they had given up that she would ever bear a child. It was an issue gnawing at this couple for nearly 30 years – a real sore spot. And the Lord came to dig up that issue again and also to bring healing and a great blessing – the promise of a son.
But the point here is that the Lord opens the door of prayer with a question and he wants to touch on your most tender places – places where no one else will go or talk about. That’s where the Lord comes.
o How are you doing?
o What struggles do you have?
o What is new in your life today?
o What things are you rejoicing about?
o What sins do you need to confess?
o What is burdening your heart?
People pay thousands and thousands of dollars each year to talk to a therapist. It’s not that they receive any golden advice or special counseling. The therapist may merely nod, voice understanding and compassion and then receive his check at the end of the hour.
But every day you can come before the Lord and you can ‘unplug’ your heart and soul and let it all flow out – you can have a God encounter. You can tell God anything and everything – and he UNDERSTANDS. He says: “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your souls.” (Matt. 11:28) You are not alone!
He gives you a chance to pour out your burdens – hurts, pains, disappointments. Jesus is your friend who knows you and wants to hear your heart! “Jesus wept” at Lazarus tomb – why? Because of his compassion for the grieving. When you struggle with temptation he knows it. When you are rejected, he understands that. When you are physically hurting, he knows how it is. Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Go to him – have a God encounter and let it all flow out because he’s there for you!
4. Listen to HIM (18:10-15)
We welcome Him to come. We worship Him. We pour our hearts out before Him. And then in this God encounter we listen to Him closely.
Read with me verses 10-15…. Abraham listened – and Sarah listened on the other side of the tent door. She listened so well that she started laughing at the remarkable things the Lord was saying – impossible things. God is keeping his promises. They would have a child. SARAH would have a child.
Can you be a good listener as well as a good talker? Sometimes that’s the hardest of all. Sometimes we can be talking and talking with someone and only later realize that you have no idea what is going on with your friend – you spent the whole time talking about yourself.
And I think that prayer is very often the same way which is why it is often so disheartening. When you come away from a time in prayer, you should be able to say what it was the Lord was saying to YOU. What did the Lord tell you today? How did the Lord direct you today? Are you listening to him or just telling him what you want?
One way to listen is by asking him many questions. And as you are reading Scripture and praying, God will speak to you. In your God encounter, ask the Lord these questions:
o What do you have to tell me today?
o What are your burdens today?
o What would you like me to know about you?
o What would you like me to do for you? For others?
o Etc. etc.
Keep a prayer journal and write down the thoughts the Lord gives you, and the Bible passages you are led to read. Remember, that God never directs us contrary to His Word. In fact, very often it’s a verse or passage that God points out to you that speaks right to your heart. Wait upon him! He will speak.
So often we fill our time with noise – the tv, the radio, a cd playing in the background. We have to read something or be doing something. But a powerful part of an encounter with God is simply silence.
When Jesus revealed his glory to three of his disciples on the mountain – he appeared with Moses and Elijah and the disciples start talking and making suggestions about what they should do. What does the Lord say? “This is my Son, my Chosen One. LISTEN TO HIM!” We need that kind of reminder too. Take time to listen!
Silence demands quieting our thoughts, our talking, our thinking, our noise and simply listening to the Lord. Can you listen? Psalm 62:1 For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. Habakkuk 2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.
And when you hear what the Lord says – receive it, obey it, take it all in. For he is your food and your strength and your blessing. He will not lead you astray. He will direct your path.
There is one more crucial part of a God encounter – and that is intercession. And we’ll have to look at that next week in the second half of this chapter. But I want to encourage each of you to not miss those precious God encounters during your week.
Welcome Him!
Worship Him.
Pour out your heart to Him.
Listen to Him.
And you will be renewed, refreshed, and encouraged for a new day!
