Once, while Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day, he saw three strangers coming his way—or at least he thought they were strangers. However, as they came closer, he seemed to recognise them, or at least one of them. He warmly invited them to stay for a meal. As it turned out, it was the LORD who had come to visit Abraham near the great trees of Mamre.
Abraham had set up his tent near the great trees of Mamre and had even formed alliances with the surrounding tribes. We see him call on their support when he went to rescue his nephew Lot, who had been taken by invading kings. It was beneath these very trees that God met Abraham during the heat of the day.
God Meets Abraham
Interestingly, the trees of Mamre were considered sacred by the Canaanites and were used as a centre for pagan worship. Oftentimes, we forget that God is not limited to any place. He can step into places that are “unholy” or pagan. He can meet us anywhere—whether in our churches, our workplaces, or in the quiet of our own rooms. Sadly, many people still believe they need to travel to Israel on a pilgrimage to truly encounter God, even though He is already right beside them.
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. – Genesis 18:2 (NIV)
Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby, but he somehow knew—deep inside—that they weren’t just ordinary visitors. He felt it in his spirit. He recognised the voice that had called him before. Abraham had a personal relationship with God, not just a set of rules or rituals. Unlike Abraham, the Pharisees in Jesus’ time couldn’t recognise God when He stood right in front of them. They had the Scriptures, they followed the commandments, but they didn’t know God.
The Pharisees only knew God through the laws and the traditions passed down by their forefathers. Their understanding was shallow—they followed the law blindly without understanding its purpose. They lacked a personal relationship with their Maker. It’s like trying to judge a job candidate based only on their resume—it gives some information, but it’s not enough. A good interviewer wants a one-on-one conversation to truly understand who the person is and if they’re the right fit. The Pharisees had the resume, so to speak, but never sat down for the conversation.
Abraham, on the other hand, didn’t have all the written laws or religious structures. Yet, because of his closeness with God, he could recognise Him—even when He came in the form of a traveller. The real question is: Will we be able to recognise Him? Do we know God well enough that if He shows up in an unexpected way—in a stranger, in a quiet moment, in the middle of our day—we would know it’s Him?
Reminding The Promise
Abraham, eager to show hospitality, asked the visitors to stay and not pass him by. He offered them water to wash their feet and a place to rest under the tree. He planned to bring them food so they could be refreshed before continuing their journey, acknowledging that they had come to him for a reason.
With urgency, Abraham went into the tent and told Sarah to quickly prepare some bread using three seahs of the finest flour. He then ran to his herd, chose a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant to prepare without delay. Along with the meat, Abraham also brought curds and milk, and served the meal to his guests. While they ate under the tree, he stood nearby, attentive and ready to serve them.
Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.
“There, in the tent, ” he said. – Genesis 18:9 (NIV)
The visitors had already spoken to Abraham, but now they had come to meet Sarah. This moment wasn’t just about Abraham—it was about both of them. The covenant God made wasn’t with Abraham alone, but with Abraham and Sarah together. In God’s eyes, they were one body, united in purpose and promise.
Even though they had taken a wrong turn, trying to fulfil God’s promise by using Hagar, Sarah’s slave girl, and in the process mistreating her, God still chose to reaffirm His covenant with both of them. Despite their failures and missteps, He didn’t abandon them. He came to personally meet Sarah, to bring her into the heart of the promise, just as much as Abraham.
One of the visitors told Abraham that he would return in a year, and by then, Sarah would have a son. Sarah, who was listening from the tent, laughed to herself, thinking it was impossible since both she and Abraham were old and she was well past childbearing age. But the LORD responded by asking Abraham why Sarah laughed and questioned God’s ability, reminding them that nothing is too hard for the LORD.
Bring Your Doubts To Him
Sarah’s question, in many ways, was logical—how could she, an old woman, possibly have a child now? But the reason the LORD called her out wasn’t just because she laughed—it was because she kept her doubt hidden, then denied it. God doesn’t rebuke us for having questions or struggles. In fact, He invites us to bring our doubts to Him. What He doesn’t want is for us to bury them in our hearts and do nothing about them.
Sarah, afraid, denied laughing—but God gently corrected her, saying, “Yes, you did laugh.” More than just laughing at God’s promise, Sarah’s denial was the greater fault. Her laughter came from doubt and disbelief, but her refusal to admit it revealed a deeper issue—fear and unwillingness to face her own heart. Just like Jesus exposed the thoughts of the Pharisees—not to shame them, but to bring their hidden hearts into the light—God called out Sarah’s doubt to bring it into the open. Not to embarrass her, but to deal with it.
We often do the same, struggling to understand or trust God, but keeping it all inside. Yet God already knows our hearts. We can’t hide anything from Him. So it’s far better to bring our doubts and questions to Him honestly, so they can be addressed, healed, and turned into trust. Sometimes, we’re just like Sarah. It’s not only that we doubt what God says, but that we struggle to admit—even to ourselves—that we were wrong. We try to cover it up, justify it, or pretend it didn’t happen. But God sees through all of it, not to condemn us, but to gently confront us and draw us closer. He’s not just interested in correcting our actions, but in transforming our hearts.
Discussion Questions
- How did Abraham know that it was God who was visiting him?
- Will we recognise God when He stands before us?
- Why did the LORD want to meet Sarah as well?
- Why should we bring our doubts before God?
The Jordan Valley 
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