Genesis 21

Scripture:  Genesis 21:1-21

Observation:  Just as the Lord had promised, Sarah becomes pregnant and bears a child, a son Abraham names Isaac.  Abraham is 100 years old, and Sarah is in her 90s when Isaac is born.  Even Sarah finds it incredible that she has been able to give her husband a son in his old age (v.7).  But Abraham's problems continue.  There is tension between Sarah and Ishmael, the son Hagar has given to Abraham.  Sarah wants them sent away, but Abraham was not happy; after all, this is his son.  This, however, was not God's plan for Abraham, and God tells Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away.  God promises to make a nation of Ishmael's descendants because of Abraham, but the promise is with Isaac's descendants alone.  So Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael off.  Hagar reaches a point where she is sure she and her son will die, and she cries out to the Lord, who hears her and sends His angel to lead them to water and off to the wilderness, where Ishmael becomes an archer.

Application:  God's promises are true, even when we try to take matters into our own hands.  Sarah didn't believe she could give Abraham a son, so she took it upon herself to give her maidservant to Abraham, and he agreed to it.  God proved that when He says He will do something, it will be done just as He said.  Yet we also see God's faithfulness to Abraham.  God blessed Ishmael even though he was the son outside of the marriage and outside of the promise.  God could have chosen to ignore Ishmael altogether, but instead He took care of him and made a nation of him as well.  This shows the great love God had for His servant Abraham.

Prayer:  Lord, You have shown me again and again that Your promises are true and reliable.  I don't know why I even attempt to do things on my own without Your assurance and blessing, yet many times I have.  You are truly faithful in Your love for me, which I do not deserve, but which I am eternally grateful for.  Help me to see Your will and to seek to follow Your ways instead of my own.  Your ways are above mine, and always better. Thank You Father.  In Jesus' name, Amen.