Abraham Prepared a Place for God
Abraham wasn’t expecting an encounter with God that day.
As he sat outside his tent in the heat of the day, he looked up and saw three travelers approaching. Instead of waiting for them to come to him, Abraham ran to meet them. He bowed low, washed their feet, and prepared one of the finest meals he could offer. He gave generously of his time, his resources, and his attention.
Only later do we realize that Abraham wasn’t simply entertaining weary travelers… he was welcoming the Lord.
His extravagant hospitality became the setting for one of the most significant encounters of his life. Around that meal, God reaffirmed the promise of Isaac, revealed His heart concerning Sodom, and invited Abraham into a powerful moment of intercession. Abraham’s honor didn’t earn God’s presence, but it revealed a heart that had already prepared a place for Him.
Preparing for an Encounter With God
Throughout Scripture, we see this same principle repeated: people often predetermined the kind of encounter they would have with God by the posture they brought into His presence.
The woman with the issue of blood is another beautiful example. For twelve years she had exhausted every human solution, yet before she ever saw Jesus, she settled something in her heart: “If I only touch His garment, I will be healed”(Mark 5:28). Long before she fought through the crowd, her faith had already prepared the encounter. She didn’t approach Jesus hoping something might happen—she approached Him convinced that He was enough. Her expectation positioned her to receive what others in the crowd missed. While many people brushed against Jesus that day, only one touched Him with faith.
Setting the Table With Faith and Expectation
Abraham set a table with hospitality. The woman set a table with unwavering faith. Both remind us that we don’t drift into life-changing encounters with God. We cultivate hearts of honor, expectancy, surrender, and faith that make room for Him to move.
While we can never earn God’s presence, we can choose how we prepare to meet Him. Every act of worship, every step of obedience, every decision to honor Him, and every declaration of faith becomes another place set at the table.
The question is not whether God desires to meet with us. The question is: What kind of table are we preparing for Him?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You that You delight in meeting with Your children. Forgive me for the times I’ve approached You casually or without expectation. Give me a heart like Abraham that welcomes You with honor, and a faith like the woman who reached for Jesus with complete confidence. Teach me to prepare the table of my heart every day, believing that You still reveal Yourself, fulfill Your promises, and transform those who seek You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Reflection Questions:
- What am I bringing into God’s presence… routine, or genuine expectation that He will meet me?
- Is my life marked by the kind of honor, faith, and surrender that makes room for God to move?
- What would change if I approached every prayer, every worship service, and every ordinary day believing that God was ready to encounter me?
For more information:
Read:
The Pursuit of His Glory: https://lisa-schwarz.com/the-pursuit-of-his-glory/
Watch: Containing His Character Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLaMLikcR9Yva1vjRaeomXeGYOAMJr_VQM&si=DpsvM37OvTLEsNDI
I expect him every day and at any given time. After all he is omnipresent. And my heart calls to him constantly and I’m always talking to him. I expect to hear him back, maybe not in the traditional verbal way, but in one way or another.