Monday 13 November 2023

Psalm 20

Background

During the coming days we shall be reflecting on stories from the book of Genesis. Today we hear about the death and subsequent burial of Sarah. No subject is more difficult for us to face than death. Somerset Maughan wrote his nephew, Robin, “Dying is a very dull, dreary affair. And my advice to you is to have nothing whatever to do with it.” (Robin Maugham, Conversations with Willie, 1978) But we cannot, of course, avoid death. We all have loved ones and friends who have died or will die. And we must die. But it’s still difficult to think about.

Today's passage presents a brief account of Sarah’s death followed by a substantial description of the subsequent arrangements for her burial. Here is the voice of human sorrow, which is as old as the world, and as new as the most recent heartbreak. Yet also here Abraham represents the truth that grief should not become a paralysing bondage. He moves on and remains faithful to his calling. The passage reveals Abraham’s grief in loss but hope in death. Abraham had learned to believe in God’s promise even before he had seen it fulfilled. He believed God would give him offspring even before he had a child; now he claimed that God would give him and his descendants the land even before he possessed any of it.

The unfolding story portrays Abraham acquiring land along with the cave in which he would bury Sarah, and which would become the burial place of himself and his descendants. Abraham is shown paying a lavish price for the land and cave. In the customary formula of the time and place, Ephron the Hittite declares that he gives the cave to Abraham, but in the same breath tells how much the gift is worth. Abraham does not seek to reduce the cost and simply pays up. So, the cave of Machpelah belongs irrevocably to him and to his family – and it will become the place of his own burial and that of Isaac and Jacob. The Cave of the Patriarchs or Tomb of the Patriarchs, known to Jews by its biblical name Cave of Machpelah and to Muslims as the Sanctuary of Abraham, is a series of caves situated 30 kilometres south of Jerusalem in the heart of the Old City of Hebron in the West Bank.

The passage shows Abraham trusting God and continuing to live out his faith. He believed that this land would be their heritage, because God had already promised to give it to him. He demonstrates his faith by not burying Sarah in this place and not returning to bury her in their native land. We are challenged to continue living our faith even in times of great sorrow.

To Ponder:

• Where, in the face of human sorrow and suffering, have you recognised God’s continued gift of grace and love?
• Where have you experienced challenges of life that have brought you to a new, or renewed sense of calling?
• When looking at the world and the challenges of daily living that some people face, where do you go to find an expression of Christian hope?