“Pursuing Focus”
July 20, 2025
Henry Norkplim Anyomi
Opening Prayer
Enfold us, Creator God, with all of You and fill us with Your quickening word. Thank You that these lips are anointed and our hearts are open. In Jesus’ name. Amen!
Message
One children’s message I’ve encountered in recent months reflected on the Sabbath, sometimes called the Lord’s Day in our faith. I couldn’t get the main point of that message out of my mind as I reflected on what to share with you today. And that point was that we get to simply rest and visit with God for a little while when we come to God; that God really likes it when we just rest in God! I felt in some ways this central point connects with both readings quite well – in terms of being with God. Abraham entertained God’s messengers in the land of Canaan and Martha welcomed Jesus in their village of Bethany. Two hospitality stories with two different outcomes. Let’s explore how they speak to today’s theme of “Pursuing Focus.”
In our first text, Abraham, volunteers to host the three visitors who had come near his tent. Very much in line with the culture of the place and time, he gets to work, to provide hospitality to make them feel at home. And this isn’t very surprising, perhaps almost the appropriate humane or even neighbourly thing to do – to take care of one’s guests. But what stands out from the text is that Abraham stuck close – he didn’t leave his guests, except to go fetch them something or to ask for something to be made for them. He waited on them during their stay and sought to connect with them, perhaps learn a bit about their journey, their mission, their people, name them.
Verse 8 of the reading renders it this way: “he stood by them under the tree while they ate.” Abraham was a relational host and so sought to connect with his guests, beyond merely feeding them.
But what would make a man like Abraham concern himself with three strangers passing through his land? Abraham was a man in deep distress. At almost a hundred years, he still didn’t have an heir to carry on with his family’s legacy and to fulfil God’s promises to his household. Rather than being cloistered in his own successor concerns, he opted to look out for and serve others. Friends, it’s one thing when giving out of a place of abundance – a stress-free environment – but another, giving in one’s distress – one’s hardship. His was one of despondency, of quick fixes, of settling for less. But from such an imperfect background, a godly thought took root in his heart – to honor the three passersby; to see the divine in them. I doubt the men came with a halo over their heads or wore glistening, heavenly robes. Indeed, verse 4 tells us that their feet needed washing and they seemed tired or, in fact, were. These were neighbors in need. But the godly faith that animated Abraham’s life charged him to honor God through hosting those neighbors.
Abraham’s worldview, though unintended, served him well. He refused to regard the travelers as hungry migrants who needed food, shelter, and a bath. He saw the serendipitous meeting with them as an avenue to fellowship; to worship; to serve humanity and the divine. He wouldn’t chase after quid pro quos and seek to satisfy the oft-asked question, “what’s in it for me?” Yet, it was this seemingly self-negating waiting on his guests that elicited God’s renewed promise to him. More than that! He received an express prophecy about the birth of his son, Isaac, to come “in due season” or as the NIV puts it, the “next year.” How much do we miss when our hearts are not in the right place?!
Abraham thought he was dealing with sojourners, but entertained the divine. On the flip side, Martha, in our second reading, knew it was the Lord she had received. Yet, she was “distracted by many things” (verse 41). Her worldview was to blame. Her understanding of having the Lord under one’s roof was to be lost in work. Come to verse 40b with me: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?” This was Martha’s headspace. It was Christ in her house, so, everything should go right! Can we really fault her? In some ways, it was the human side of her “shouting from the rooftops!” For some of us, it’s that special set of cutlery and for others, it’s that high-end décor. These come out only when that “special” guest is around. Again, for some of us, it’s all the things we do for family. Otherwise, how would they know we love them?
Christ offers us a new pair of lenses. What if we saw God in everyone, rather than a particular class or calibre of people? What if like Abraham, or in this very reading, Mary, it’s about stories, worship, and connection? Christ having seen the importance of the time spent together with Mary concluded, “few things are important – indeed only one.” Friends, what is our one thing as a church? What is our one thing as families? What is our one thing as individuals?
As many of you may know, the Book of Order (BoO) is the PCUSA’s handbook for Church life and our witness and mission as Presbyterians, besides the Bible. A part of this book, the BoO, talks about the centrality of the Word of God in Church worship. Indeed, things like baptism and the Lord’s Supper are seen rituals practising God’s Word. In a way, then, one may say that God’s Word is our one thing. But what does that one thing say to us? What is the summary of that one thing, God’s Word? What does it specifically ask of us as a congregation and as individuals?
I love the articles of Tish Harrison Warren, a New York Times columnist and an ordained minister of the Episcopal Church. In the article, “How I Freed Up Time to Daydream,” Tish talks about how her struggle with social media addiction and avid surfing of real estate sites. Though an imperfect experience, I thought her biggest takeaway matters to this message. It’s what she calls “guard the margins.” The margins to her are moments “when we get no input, no news, no videos, no memes, no opinions” because “we need moments when we space out, daydream, when our minds go blank.” She references Jesus, whose whole life was wrapped up in silence and mystery and her violinist friend, Timothy, who reflected on rests in music this way: “Rests in music, even short ones, create rhythm, variety and narrative. They help guide and change the course of a song.” Like Tish’s call to “guard the margins,” Timothy says, one has to learn to “play the rests.”
Friends, Christ’s words, “one thing is important” sums up “play the rests” and “guard the margins.” He expects us to rest and be with God when we come to God. He wants us to see the divine in humans and non-humans alike and to give greater attention to presence rather than presents. Abraham and Mary’s examples shine for all time. Christ came so ours will shine too. May our Lord Jesus grace us to come to the knowledge of the one thing that is important for us as the world’s peoples, as a congregation, as families, and as individuals. His shalom be with us all. Amen!
Benediction
This week, like Abraham, may we stick close. And, like Mary, may we stay at Jesus’ feet. May we pursue presence, seeking connection with the Spirit and the people God brings our way. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be and abide with us all, now and forevermore. Amen.