On Saturday I posted my all time favorite story from the bible; the story of Sarah’s death found in Genesis 23. I asked you to think about why this story showed what ultimate love is like. Did you think about it? It might help to explain a few things before I tell you my reasons why this is about love. In the days of Abraham, and in the location this story takes place, it was not possible to own land somewhere other than the place you were born. Abraham, at the request of God, had left his birthplace to go to a new land, one which was promised to be fruitful and where his family would multiply. It’s in this place the story found in Genesis 23 takes place. Abraham’s wife, Sarah, dies at the age of 127 and because they live in a place where they cannot own land she has no place to be buried. Abraham, after mourning for his wife, asks the towns people if he could please bury is wife in a nice cave on someone else’s land. Can you imagine how much courage it took Abraham to ask this, knowing fully well what the laws of his days were? The town’s people reply by telling Abraham he is a great man (having made their land a wealthy place) and he may have any land he wishes. Abraham offers money for the land, which the town refuses. Abraham tells them (paraphrasing here), “too bad, take my money anyway.” So, here’s why I think this shows ultimate love. Abraham loves his wife enough to have the courage to ask the town if he could have some land, just a tiny little cave, to bury his wife; even though he knew asking such a thing would mean going against the laws of that day. The town has enough love for Abraham because of the wonderful things he did for them to give him what he asks for and more. Ponder these things for just another day and tomorrow I’ll summarize it all.
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