January 29th, 2013
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Whose Side Is God On?

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Opening Prayer

My Lord and God, You are gracious, steadfast, reliable, and long-suffering. I bless Your name and bow in worship.

Read Genesis 21:1-21

[1] Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. [2] Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. [3] Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him. [4] When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. [5] Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. [6] Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” [7] And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.” [8] The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. [9] But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, [10] and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” [11] The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. [12] But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. [13] I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” [14] Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. [15] When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. [16] Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob. [17] 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. [18] Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” [19] 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. [20] God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. [21] While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“The Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust” (Psa. 103:13,14). Does this give you a sense of relief?

Think Further

Jealousy is a powerful and dangerous emotion. There is an appropriate jealousy, which honors and protects the ones we love, and God himself is described as a “jealous God” (Exod. 20:5). Jealousy that centers on our own pride, however, too often leads to sinful actions, as we see in the jealousies of Ishmael and Sarah in this story. Isaac was about three and had survived the early health hazards for a baby, so his parents celebrate with a weaning feast (8). Ishmael, well into his adolescence, is realizing how thoroughly this toddler has supplanted him. His mocking (9) is another pun on Isaac’s name. His behavior sparked a red alert in Sarah. Ishmael would have to go (10).

No doubt she was afraid Ishmael was a threat to Isaac’s life. She may have seen the effects of rivalry in those royal harems. Even today most murders take place between family members. In Genesis, both Jacob and Joseph narrowly escape murder by their brothers; in each instance the roots of jealousy lie in the behavior of their parents. Sarah’s failure to conquer her bitter feelings towards Hagar has won her no friend in Ishmael (Gen. 16:6). The instant dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael seems harsh. With no escort, they take only the rations they can carry. Perhaps there was a way between oases they were supposed to follow, but once they lost it, Ishmael’s dehydration quickly spiraled towards death.

Whose side was God on? Surprisingly, both the people who have been behaving jealously are affirmed by God and given a new start. He supports Sarah in her demands, and her rivals leave (12). Ishmael discovers that his name, “God hears” is true, as God guides them to a well (17-19). He learns to make a life in the desert.

Apply

Think about situations in family, church or home that are being marred by rivalry or jealousy; pray for a new beginning for all those concerned.

Closing prayer

Merciful God, keep me from leading a double life, publicly presenting one thing but privately living another. Correct anything greedy and fearful; make me sincere at all times.

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