Let's Have the Good news First
I’m not sure what difference it makes but often people will ask if we want the good news first, or the bad news. Either way we have to deal with both so does it really matter which one comes first? In Genesis 18, three strangers arrived at Abraham’s door (or tent flap, in his case). “ Abram ” (father) had become “ Abraham ” (father of many) at God’s command, indicating the number of descendants that he would have. “ Sarai ” (princess) had become “ Sarah ” (noblewoman). But despite the name changes, Abraham still had not had a son by Sarah, as God had promised. When the three visitors arrived, Abraham greeted them with great deference. He perceived that they were divine messengers. In fact, one of them is referred to as “ the Lord ” (18:10). As was the custom, Sarah was not present during the men’s conversation over dinner, but like many of her kind, she was eavesdropping behind the closed tent flap. The good news? The Lord promised that within a year Sarah would produce the lon...