Life. Interrupted. Week 7 Day 3
God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt. Genesis 21:17-21 (NIV)
Abraham’s family situation was complicated. It certainly wasn’t Mayberry. Now that God had given Abraham and Sarah the heir to the promise, they didn’t need a spare. At Sarah’s prompting and with God’s direction (Genesis 21:11-13), Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away.
Was Ishmael a mistake? Was Ishmael a problem that would never be resolved? Ishmael was out of Abraham’s family, but not out of God’s blessing.
Regardless of who you are, how you got here, or what you’ve done, God loves you and wants to bless you. That’s just Who God is. If you feel that you don’t deserve God’s blessing, well, that’s how it’s supposed to be. You and I don’t deserve God’s blessing.
God loves you, and there’s really nothing you can do about that.
The last line you wrote is deeply thought-provoking and useful. Those are words I know I will bring to mind and speak time and again...except maybe in my kids' lingo: "God loves you. Get over it!" :o) Thanks!
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