# 208 Promises Fill Us With Hope

The Book of Genesis

Day 208

Ge 22:15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,  16 and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son - 17 "blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.  18 "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."

Abraham has heard these promises from God before!  When God called him to leave his father’s house in Haran, God promised to make him a great nation.

At Bethel,  when Lot departed from him, God promised him possession of the land for his descendants..

In chapter 15 of Genesis, God compared the number of Abraham’s descendants to the number of stars.

In chapter 17, God reiterated the covenanted promises and institutes circumcision as a sign of the covenant, and now He makes the promises again!

Why does He keep repeating them? Well, as you read the New Testament you will see God repeating the promises of the gospel over and over again as well!  He wants us to get,  and not forget, His promised! Promises fill us with hope!

Remember when your mom or dad promised you something for your birthday, or when they promised to take you to the beach or to the amusement park? Those promises filled you with hope! The more you heard those promises the more hope-filled and excited you became.

Sometimes your parents would promise you something conditionally, you know, “clean your room, and we’ll go get some ice cream,” or, “get good grades and we’ll buy you the latest electronic device.” Well, God put conditions on His promises to Abraham too! “Be circumcised, walk before Me.” Which is the New Testament equivalent of, “be baptized and believe. (Mk 16:16)

The problem with our parents promises is many times they did not fulfill their part of the deal, and what happened? Our hopes were dashed!

Let me tell you, God is not like that. He delivers on His promises! He does not dash our hopes, but many times we dash our own as we give up on God through impatience and disbelief. And when disbelief strikes,  our desire to obey flies out the window.  Flown obedience is not a good thing! Verse 18 tells us that Abraham was blessed because he obeyed God’s voice!  

As we look at the new covenant, think of how many times and how many ways God brings out His promises of eternal life. Look for them and let those promises fill you with hope no matter what you may be going through! Let hope produce faith that perseveres in God-pleasing obedience to the end!

Heb 10:23 says, “ Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”

# 207 Trust and Obey

The Book of Genesis

Day 207

Ge 22:15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,  16 and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son - 17 "blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.  18 "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."

 The “Angel of the Lord,” moved by Abraham’s trust and subsequent obedience to God declares, in blessing Me (with your acts of trust and obedience) I will bless you.” Let’s talk about this word “bless.” 

The Hebrew word here means “to kneel before.” Kneeling is a way of demonstrating honor to someone. So in trusting and obeying God, Abraham honored Him, and now God says, “because you have honored Me, I will honor you and here’s how I’m going to do it.” And then He goes on to repeat the promises He had made to Abraham all along his journey from the land of Ur.

These are not idle promises! The Lord swears He will do it! But listen, this kind of honoring is not restricted to Abraham! It is for you and I as well, as we imitate the trust and obedience of Abraham.  

In the Book of Hebrews we are challenged to not be sluggish in the area of trusting  and obeying God,  “that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,  14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you."  15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Let us learn then from the patient endurance of Abraham. He waited a long time for the promised Isaac, but in the meantime,  he blessed God,  trusting that God would come through on His promises, all the while seeking to obey God and His Word. God has promised eternal life to all who are baptized and patiently endure in the faith until the end. So hang in there pilgrim. God’s promise will not fail. It is as sure as His oath given to Abraham on Mt Moriah.

The words of an old hymn, seem appropriate here: 

Trust and Obey by John H. Sammis

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

o    Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2.    Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

3.    Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

4.    But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

5.       Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

# 206 The Blessing of Obedience

The Book of Genesis

Day 206

Ge 22:15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,  16 and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son - 17 "blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.  18 "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."

 The “Angel of the Lord,” This is the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, the Everlasting Son of God! This is one of several appearances of Jesus in the Old Testament, and theologians call these appearance “theophanies.” These events are always important and worthy of special note.

Think about this. The Son of God has just witnessed an earthly father willing to sacrifice the thing most dearest to him to God. In the same way, that His Father would one day offer up this “Angel of the Lord” as a propitiation (payment) for the sins of the world.

 1Jo 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jo 2:2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

You can catch how deeply this moved the Son of God as He pronounces a blessing on Abraham for the sake of this one time never to be repeated act of obedience on the part of Abraham.  God would never again call on anyone other than Himself, to sacrifice a child. And His sole purpose in sacrificing Jesus was to show the world how much He loves us! Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

As in Abraham’s case, God’s love and God’s blessings break out and are unleashed in our obedience to His Word. With that in mind, we should stop looking at the Ten Commandments  as  God’s way of spoiling our fun here on earth. They are meant to serve as a curb against unrighteousness in our world, but they are also meant to convince us of our sins and therefore show us our need for a Savior, and  they are also meant to show us how to love others and thereby prove our love for God.  

Jesus made this latter use of the Law evident when He spoke to the Pharisees in Mt 22:36-40, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"  37 Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  38 "This is the first and great commandment.  39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the  Prophets."

Do you want to demonstrate a love for God as Abraham did? Do you want Jesus to show up in your life as He did here with Abraham?  Then obey! First of all, obey the voice of the Gospel and receive Jesus as your Savior and then out of gratefulness, receive Him as your Lord.  As your Lord, you will seek to obey His voice! He is your Lord and He promises to show up in your life as you treasure (keep) His Word. This “treasuring” of His Word always shows up in obedience and He said in Joh 14:21,  "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

Pray: Father, let me never take Your love for me for granted. Let me relish You as my Savior, but then help me to live in such a way, that it is evident You are my Lord.

# 205 Sacrificial Giving

The Book of Genesis

Day 205

Ge 22:13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.  14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of The LORD it shall be provided."

“The Lord will provide.” How often have we heard that phrase repeated, especially when someone is going through hard financial times!  

Of course the Lord’s number one provision for us is the sacrifice of His only Son for our sins,  but as our loving Father, He also provides for our material needs. Jesus said in Mt 6:33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

 Abraham was prepared to “give to God,” the most important thing in his life…..his only son, the long awaited  Isaac.  This willingness to sacrifice Isaac showed a heart that would not withhold anything from God.  A heart that realized all he had was God’s anyway. This is a place where we need to get to in the area of giving. We need to come to the realization that all we have (goods and kindred) belong to God!

Remember when Abraham was ready to go up the mountain and sacrifice (“give”) Isaac back to the Lord? He told the young men who stayed behind, “”The lad and I will go yonder and worship.” Abraham’s willingness to give his only son was an act of worship! Of course God is not asking anyone to sacrifice their children, but sacrificial giving to the Lord is an act of worship!

There are other examples of this type of sacrificial giving in Scripture In 1 Kings 17 we read of the account of the widow and Elijah. She was down to her last bit of flour, yet shared it with Elijah because she believed the word from the Lord. She believed He would not let her oil or flour run out. She believed God would provide.

Then there’s the widow dropping her two mites into the offering and Jesus making special note of her, because she gave all she had. What do you think happened to that widow?  We aren’t told, but she caught the eye of the Lord with this act and  2Ch 16:9 says,  "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”

Are you struggling with faith in the provision of God? Do you hold back in your giving out of fear? I know I have in the past, but listen to the words of Jesus. He said, Do not worry saying, what shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or what shall we wear? Your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

God will provide! Our responsibility is to simply seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and His kingdom and righteousness are sought as we obediently yield all that we are and have to Him.

# 204 Lift Up Your Eyes

The Book of Genesis

Day 204

Ge 22:13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.  14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of The LORD it shall be provided."

“The Lord will provide.” How often have we heard that phrase repeated, especially when someone is going through hard financial times! But this is not about finances! It is about the Lord’s provision for the sins of the world.  

What a picture! The substitute sacrifice, that would take the place of Isaac, a male sheep with his head caught in a thicket, foreshadowing the crown of thorns that our own substitute would one day wear on this very same mountain! 

Note too, that Abraham didn’t look behind him. He didn’t look to the left or to the right. He “lifted his eyes UP!  This is what we must do to be saved! We must look up on the cross of Calvary and see the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

In Numbers chapter 21 we read of an incident where the people had sinned against the Lord, and the Lord sent a plague of deadly vipers among the people. These snakes represent sin, and here’s how God told Moses to handle the deadly sin problem in their midst!

Nu 21:8 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live."

A fiery serpent? Why not a lamb? Wouldn’t that be more fitting? Not really. God used this incident to show the people (and us) what He would one day do with all sin. The Holy Spirit speaks of it through Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians: 2Co 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Jesus became sin for us! He became the fiery serpent lifted high upon the pole, and all that looked up to it survived the plague of snakes, Survived the plague of sin!

As it is said to this day, In the Mount of the Lord (Calvary) it shall be provided.  We all know the words of Jn 3:16, but have you ever paid attention to what Jesus said right before it?

Joh 3:14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  15 "that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Look up brother! Look up sister! Join with Abraham and Moses and see the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Look up! Receive the gift and live!

# 203 Was He Stalling?

The Book of Genesis

Day 203

Ge 22:9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.  11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."

 Meticulous: showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise.. This is what strikes me about Abraham’s preparations to offer up Isaac to God. He builds an altar and then places the wood in order. This is not some back yard burn, with wood thrown in the pit in a helter skelter manner! I can picture Abraham very carefully building this fire one stick at a time. He builds the funeral pyre in in such a way that Isaac would fit nicely on top of it. Then he carefully ties up Isaac and then stretches out his hand (dare we say, ever so slowly,) to take the knife that would be used to slay his son.

Was he stalling? 

Were these methodical preparations all being done in the hope that God would break into the scene and put a stop to it? I’m pretty sure, I would be in the stall mode, how about you? One can almost read Abraham’s mind, “OK God, I’ve got the altar built, You sure You want me to do this? Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done.  OK God, the wood has been placed in order, You can still stop this. Nonetheless not my will but Thine.  I’ve got Isaac tied up Lord and atop the wood, is there any other way?  Nonetheless, not my will, OK Lord I’m grabbing the knife now, PLEASE put a stop to this”…..and at that point He did.

Now, I’m not saying Jesus was stalling in the Garden of Gethsemane, but He certainly was open to His Father coming up with a plan B. Three times He asked His Father to remove the cup from Him, and He was denied three times,  There would be no heavenly interference as in the case of Abraham and Isaac. There would be no substitute provided.  This would be the ultimate sacrifice. This would be the sacrifice of God’s only Son, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Can we enter the pain of the Father here for just a moment? Can we grasp just a little bit the depth of love that God has for the world, for you, for me? Can we ever hear Jn 3:16 the same way again? “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

There was no Angel of the Lord appearing to Pilate telling him to release Jesus. There was no angel of the Lord using his forearm to block the first blow of the hammer that would drive the nails through the hands and feet of Jesus.  There was only the Father willing to allow His only Son to die for the sins of the world, and there was only an obedient Son who also loved the world so much that He laid down His life on His own accord. 

Joh 10:17 "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."

There is no greater love! Therefore love Him. Receive Him as your Lord and Savior, that you may spend eternity with this kind of love.

# 202 God Will Provide

The Book of Genesis

Day 202

Ge 22:6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.

 7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

 8 And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together.

Still another pre-figuring of the passion of Christ as Abraham lays the wood of the sacrifice on the back of Isaac. He will be required to carry the wood up Mt Moriah, just as Jesus was required to carry His cross up to Golgotha.

At this point we finally hear from Isaac! “Hey Dad, we’ve got the fire and the wood, but where’s the lamb?” What a devastating question for the father, Abraham! How would’ve you answered that question?? “Little children should be seen and not heard?” Or perhaps you would’ve sat him down and explained the entire situation, “man to man?” Not so for Abraham. He gives an answer that is good for all time! “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.”

God will provide! Perhaps you are in a similar situation today. You look around your present circumstances, and there doesn’t seem to be an answer. There appears to be no way out! Hear again the words of Abraham, “God will provide.” While you’re at it, listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in 1Co 10:13, “No temptation ( that is, no trial, that’s right, I said trial! Too often we misinterpret this scripture and speak of temptation as enticement to sin, but the true meaning of the term here is trial by testing, a stretching if you will!.)

So, it reads, “No trial has overtaken you  except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted (tested, stretched, tailed) beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (the trial) will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Please note that you will be able to bear it, because that speaks of endurance. The way out of the trial is enduring!

God will provide while you endure! And Abraham called the place Jehovah Jireh, which means “the Lord will provide, as it is said to this day, “ In the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” (v14) 

Do you need provision today? Then head for the mountain of the Lord and receive it as you endure, for in climbing the mountain, provision is supplied when you need it!

 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be provided.

# 201 So Many Shadows

The Book of Genesis

Day 201

Ge 22:3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.  4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.  5 And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."

Have received God’s promises like a welcome guest, Abraham doesn’t hesitate to obey God. He starts out the very next morning and heads to the land of Moriah. It’s a three day journey, which is quite significant, as we shall see later. Abraham brings a donkey, some wood, some provisions, and two young men.

Why did he bring along the two young men? It’s not like he needed their help. In fact when the time came to carry the wood and actually perform the sacrifice, the two young men were told to stay behind with the donkey!

This entire grand event in the history of the people of faith in the One True God,  was rife with shadows of the grandest event of all times. …the death and resurrection of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

We have the shadow of the father offering his only son.

The three day journey, picturing the three days in the grave.

Abraham’s assertion to the two young men , “We will come back to you!” a picture of  his faith in the resurrection.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews puts it this way:  Heb 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called,"  19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

Then there’s the picture of  Isaac being laid upon the wood, just as Jesus would be laid upon the wood of the cross of Calvary some 2000 years later on this very same mountain!

And let’s not forget about the two young men.  Could they be a picture of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit who on that day at Calvary would withdraw from the third person of the Trinity, and watch Him die for the sins of the world from a distance? “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me!”

So many shadows! So many pictures left for us and others that we might see and also believe in the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, and the resurrection unto eternal life. “In Isaac ( a picture of Jesus) your seed, (the seed of the true children of Abraham) shall be called.” 

Pray: Thank You Father for all the pictures You have painted for us in Your Word, may they point us to the reality of Your love for us, demonstrated in the laying down of the life of Your only Son, and raising Him up again that we may have life.

# 200 Entertaining the Promises of God

The Book of Genesis

Day 200

Ge 22:2 Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

Where’s the protest Abraham? Where’s the outcry against such a seemingly cruel command of the Lord? Lord, this is my only son! I have waited 100 years to have this child! Surely you can’t be serious! Whatever happened to “Thou shalt not kill?”

What’s going on here? Well for one thing God wants us to make the connection between  the sacrifice of His own long awaited Son, (4000 years of waiting) and the promise of His resurrection!

If Abraham had any protestations they were swallowed  up in his tremendous faith!  Abraham clings to the promise of God that his seed will be blessed through this same Isaac, and if Isaac is slain the only possibility would be for Isaac to be resurrected from the dead.  Abraham had faith in God’s power to raise the dead! We must also have this faith.  Ro 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

In Heb 11:17-19, we read, “ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called,"  19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.”

Abraham was only willing and able to sacrifice his son because he had “received the promises”  The word “received” here means to “entertain as guests.”  Whoa! We have talked about Abraham’s gift of hospitality  before as it concerns people, but now it seems he has the same attitude about the promises of God! He receives them as welcome guests!

How do you view God’s promises> Are they intrusions in your life, or welcome guests? Have you spent any time getting to know them?  Have you received them? Have you embraced them? Look what happens when you do! They instill and strengthen faith in you, and with faith as small as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Mt 17:21)

Receive the promises of God! Put out the welcome mat and begin to build your own God-given faith on the promises found in His Word! For without faith, it is impossible to please God!

# 199 Power For Living

The Book of Genesis

Day 198

Ge 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am.”

I want to revisit Abraham’s response To God’s call because it is the key to powerful Christian living. If you find yourself frustrated with a faith that you feel is a bit anemic, then this devotion is for you!

“Here I am.” When these three words are spoken from the heart, they are the first steps of walking with the King! First of all they speak of hearing. By saying, “Here I am,” Abraham tells God, “I heard Your call. The response implies a willingness to do the Lord’s bidding. The powerful living comes as God uses our willing obedience to accomplish His purposes. Just listen to the roll call of some of the saints who responded to God’s call with a cheery readiness to obey.

Jacob in Gen 31:11, and in Gen 46:2.

Moses in Ex 3:4

Samuel in 1 Sam 3:4

Isaiah in Isa 6:8.

None of these men were extraordinary in that they  put their pants on one leg at a time just like you and I, but they heard God’s call, and responded with readiness to obey.

I don’t care what your education status is. I don’t care what your social standing is. God can and wants to use you!

When Jesus called the twelve, He said, “Follow Me.” And as these twelve responded to that call, they were in effect saying with Abraham, “Here I am.” When Paul is knocked to the ground on his way to Damascus, He says, “”Lord what do You want me to do?” (In effect, “Here I am.”

Ananais who was to meet Paul in Damascus hears the Lord call his name and he replied, “Here I am.”

Cornelius is praying, and an angel calls his name. “Cornelius!” and he replied. “What is it Lord, ” and another ordinary man throws his lot in with God. Meanwhile Peter also responds to the Lord’s call as he prays on a rooftop and the Good News is preached to the Gentiles in Cornelius’ house!

This power for living is available for ordinary people like you and I, but nothing will happen unless we first hear the Lord! Faith (active obedience) comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of the Lord. So we begin by surrendering to the Lord, (coming to faith) and then reading His word with ready hearts looking for instructions on how to live, and responding to His many commands and promises. 

Make it a priority to spend undistracted time in His word on a daily basis. Allow Him to speak to your heart, and respond like these ordinary saints of the Bible who said, “Here I am Lord, what is it that You would have me do? Then be watchful as your day unfolds as the Lord provides opportunity to respond.

Pray: Here I am Lord, I present my body a living sacrifice to You. What is it that You would have me do today.

# 198 Testing In the Fire

The Book of Genesis

Day 198

Ge 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

Finally, in this matter of testing, let us speak of the testing by fire. This type of SEVERE testing is usually brought about by obedience to God in the face of intense opposition. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are classic examples of trial by literal fire as they are ordered into the fiery furnace because they refused to bow their knees to Nebuchadnezzar’s god.

You know the story, as the king looks on, he sees a fourth person in the midst of the fire, and that fourth person was “like the Son of God!” …..Jesus!

When Stephen was stoned after his great Holy Spirit inspired sermon, he “gazed into heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God!” This was Stephen’s “fiery furnace, ” and there was Jesus standing with him.

Peter speaks of trial by fire for believers who are faced with many testings. His prayer was “that  the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (1 Pet 1:7)

Did you catch that? Your genuine faith is more precious than gold. As long lasting and precious that gold is, it too will perish, but tried and tested faith  will never perish. 

Think of the boys in the fiery furnace. Think of Stephen, what was it that allowed them to sustain  their faith during their hour of trial? It was the very presence of Jesus standing with them! Jesus with you  and I!  Immanuel! God with us! Faith doesn’t get much purer than that! 

You may not get a visual of Jesus in the midst of your trial, but  as you recall these incidents with  Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Stephen, you can be sure He is standing with you! In this world you will have tribulation but take heart, when the heat is turned on and it seems unbearable, look for Jesus, He will be there.  He ever lives to intercede on your behalf. Look! He is standing with you and He has overcome the world!

# 197 Singing Telegrams From Hell

The Book of Genesis

Day 197

Ge 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

For the past couple of days, we’ve been talking about “testings” allowed by God. It’s easy to love a God who gives us victory  or answers every prayer in accordance with our wishes, but how is our love and reverence toward God when things don’t go our way?

In Jg 2:21,22 we read,  "I also will no longer drive out before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died,  22 "so that through them I may test Israel, whether they will keep the ways of the LORD, to walk in them as their fathers kept them, or not."

Of course, we know that the Israelites failed the test. For one thing, they allowed their daughters to marry into the heathen nations that God did not drive out and eventually, through this practice of yoking with unbelievers, they served the gods of the heathen!

God did not "lead them into temptation,"  He simply didn’t remove it.  Much like the temptations we face in our everyday living.  God doesn’t make the bars, the porn sites, the internet, the junk food,  or any temptation watering holes  go poof!  We must face them daily, and as we do, we  find out how we are doing with “keeping the ways of the Lord.”

The Apostle Paul’s struggle with a “thorn in the flesh” is very instructive here as we wrestle with our own temptations.  If you recall, he was given a thorn in the flesh and he called it a “messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he became exalted above measure.” 

Did you ever think of these temptations as “messengers of Satan.” They’re like singing telegrams from hell. "Ding dong,"  “I have a message for Duane,”  and a porn site shows up on my computer, or some food shows up in the break room, that I shouldn’t be over-indulging in.

And think about the concept of a perpetual thorn in your flesh! A 24 hour throbbing that calls for action on your part. If you just give in the throbbing will go away, your flesh will be momentarily satisfied, but the wise person knows that the throbbing will return in spades, and it will just get worse.

 

How did Paul handle his “thorn?” He prayed. He asked God three times to remove it, and God said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” That’s all Paul needed to hear. He knew that by that very infirmity, the power and strength of Christ rested on him.  Therefore he said, “ I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

So take pleasure in your trial by enduring. God is giving you an opportunity to tap into His grace!  With the grace of God and the power of Christ on your side, resist that messenger from Satan, don’t answer the door,  and he will flee from you. When you do, you are displaying and experiencing the very strength of Christ.

Pray: Lord, help me in dealing with all my temptations. Let me learn to lean on the all sufficient grace of God to resist, and if I fail, let me also lean on Christ for my all sufficient forgiveness.

# 196 The Holy Woodshed

The Book of Genesis

Day 196

Ge 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

God tests us in order to teach us very important spiritual lessons. Such was the case of the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert for 40 years. When they were finally about to enter the Promised Land, Joshua reminded them:  De 8:2 "And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. 3 "So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.  4 "Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.  5 "You should know in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you.

Imagine that! A testing that lasted 40 years! That’s half a lifetime!  All because God wanted to see if they would still keep His commandments in the midst of adversity! Were their hearts stayed on Him or on the physical comforts of life?

As God miraculously provided for them in the wilderness during their time of testing, He was teaching them that He is trustworthy, and that by trusting in Him, they would live. They were learning, (just as we need to learn) that “man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.

Still another lesson to be learned from their wilderness experience is that God chastens His children. Sometimes we need to be taken to the holy woodshed! Just as we chasten our errant children to train them and educate them, so it is for our heavenly Father as He brings tests our way.  These tests, like the tests in our parents woodshed, are meant to steer us clear of harmful behaviors , they are trainings in righteousness. Hmmmm, isn’t that one of the functions of God’s Law?

Rejoice in your tests and trials, because the Bible tells us that “whom the Lord loves, He chastens!” And the motivating factor behind chastening is love and restoration as He leads us to holy living…..and that’s an education worth obtaining.

Pray: Lord,  help us to learn the lessons of the wilderness. Help us to see the necessity of utter reliance on You! And in the midst of our trials, let us continue to seek to treasure Your Word.

# 195 Testing By Withdrawal

The Book of Genesis

Day 195

Ge 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

Let’s continue our discussion of the testings of God today by looking at some other classic examples in Scripture.

In 2Ch 32:31 we read of the testing of Hezekiah. “God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.” Sometimes God tests us by withdrawing from us, leaving us on our own for a time to see how we respond. (Remember the first time you left your teenagers at home while you went away for the weekend? How’d that work out for you? Did they pass or fail? If they passed the test it shows them that they have a proper fear (reverence) for you, if not….well they’ve got some work to do in that area.)

In Hezekiah’s case, there was no specific command given to him, but certain circumstances were brought into his life to see how he would react. Specifically, some ambassadors from Babylon came to visit Hezekiah. God withdrew and observed the condition of Hezekiah’s heart. He failed miserably, as out of pride and misplaced priorities; he showed the ambassadors all the treasures of the kingdom. It was a “Look what I got,” attitude, as opposed to a “Look what God has given me.”

Then there’s the testing of Job. God withdrew some of His protection from Job to see how he would react. After losing all of his material possessions and his family, Job was grieved, but even in his grief, he was able to say, “ Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  And the Bible tells us, “In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.”

God withdrew still more protection from Job and he was struck with terribly painful sores, and again he endured. It was out of this affliction that Job realized he had a distorted view of God. This affliction eventually caused him to confess, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes see You. Therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

Sometimes God tests us by withdrawing from us and in the withdrawing, the true condition of our heart is revealed because it shows God (and more importantly us) how we react when He is not around.  Someone has rightly defined integrity as doing the right thing even when no one else is around.

The testings of Abraham, Hezekiah, and Job were not for God’s benefit….He already knew their hearts, rather they were an opportunity for Abraham, Hezekiah, and Job to see the condition of their hearts.  How instructive for you and I when those seasons come into our own lives when we find ourselves wondering where God is!

Pray: Holy Spirit go so deep in my heart that I may be a person of integrity.

# 194 Tested By Failure

The Book of Genesis

Day 194

Ge 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

Last time we talked about the relationship between God’s testing of the saints and obedience to His Word. We are tested, our faith is tried, as we are faced daily with choices concerning obedience to God’s Word. Our faith is proved as we respond obediently to God’s Word, and He can say to us, as he said to Abraham, “now I know that you fear God.”

But what about the times we fail? Sometimes the testing can be found in the way we handle our own failures. Peter was so sure of his love for Jesus that he boldly proclaimed, “Lord, I am ready to go with you, both to prison and to death!” Yet, when push came to shove, when the choice of acknowledging Jesus before others or denying Him before others was placed before him, in the midst of that stressful test of his faith…..he failed…..miserably! He denied the Lord just as Jesus said he would, and when he realized his sin, “He went out and wept bitterly.”

But Jesus had also promise to pray for Peter in his testing. He promised to pray that even in this failure, Peter’s faith would not fail, and that he would return to Jesus. We are not told the specifics of how Peter dealt with his failure or how he was restored, but we know that he passed that part of the test and indeed was restored!

 What good news for us in our own failures! Peter grew from his experience and used it to strengthen the brethren. The mere act of returning to the Lord after his failure was a demonstration of an “intact” faith! God could say to Peter as He had said to Abraham, “Now I know that you fear me.” Even in Peter’s failure he proved that he still believed the gospel! He didn’t quit! He returned to Jesus sincerely remorseful for his sin and received the cleansing that God freely offers through faith in Jesus!

Do you want to “prove” your love for the Lord today? Then obey! And even if you fail, obey the Gospel, and return to the Lord in God-pleasing confession and receiving of His forgiveness!

Pray: Lord I want to be obedient but I mess up so often. Let me not lose heart. Let me continually come to You for strength to follow You and when I mess up, I pray that I will keep coming back to You for forgiveness.

# 193 Lay It Down At Mt. Moriah

The Book of Genesis

Day 193

Ge 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." 2 Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

I worked in contemporary Christian radio from 1988 until I retired last year, During that time there are certain songs that I have never forgotten. Derek Floyd’s Mt Moriah is one of them. The chorus has never left me: 

Lay it down at Mt. Moriah
Offer up what you hold best
Giving in complete surrender
That you may know God's faithfulness.

God is faithful whether we are or not. 2Ti 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.But if we want to experience God’s faithfulness in a very real way, then we must be like Abraham and lay it all down on Mt Moriah!

In our text, God has decided to put Abraham to the test. The idea of the word “test” here is to test the quality of someone or something through a demonstration of stress. Abraham was about to be taken to the heavenly assayers office. He was going to find out what he was made of. God was about to bring “something to pass” in Abraham’s life that would measure his loyalty to God. In fact, the angel of the Lord explains the reason for this test in v12 after Abraham had successfully passed it. He said, “Now I know that you fear God.” To “know” in this instance is to ascertain by seeing. God tested Abraham  because He wanted to see if he really feared or revered Him. He wanted to see Abraham’s fear or reverence for Him break out into obedient action or works. As Jesus said in  Joh 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

Our hearts can often deceive us. We say we have faith, we say we have “surrendered all” but if our faith remains bottled up in our hearts and not expressed, it is nothing but dead faith.  It is faith unseen by others and not experienced by ourselves. It’s like courtroom evidence presented in an envelope, but the envelope remains unopened and unobserved.

Faith must spill over into voluntary acts of obedience. Jesus also said, “If you love Me keep My commandments.”  So our faith tests come every time we come up against a commandment of God. Every time we have the option  to obey  or disregard an instruction from His Word.

You and I will be tested today. There will be a time when the stress of choice will arrive. We all have our own little Mt Moriah’s. Be prepared for them  when they  come. Purpose in your heart now to obey God.  In so doing you will demonstrate your love for Him, and if you fail the test, (and we all fail somewhere along the line) don’t despair. God has made provision for our failures. It is called the cross. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

One more thing. These tests are for our benefit. God knows our heart, and in these tests He allows us to get a glimpse of where we are at in our walk of faith.

Pray: Father, thank You for the opportunities that You present us with every day to see where we are at in our relationship with You. Thank You for forgiving us when we fail.

# 192 A Lesson From Lurch

The Book of Genesis

Day 192

Ge 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

Two of my favorite phrases in Scripture show up in this one verse! I know you are probably tired of me bringing up the first one. “It came to pass” shows up 452 times in Scripture, and it always precedes a significant event that God has given the green light to. This significant event was designed to test the faith of Abraham!

We’ll spend some time talking about this test later, but right now I want to zero in on my second favorite phrase. This is another phrase that has been used by men of God throughout Scripture, giving their own green light to God! God calls these men, and they respond with “Here I am” which is another way of saying, “At your service Lord!”

This phrase was uttered by the likes of Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, Isaiah, and Ananais, (the man who baptized the Apostle Paul,)  What great men of God! Their secret….ready and willing to serve. These men are examples for all of us as to what God can do in the life of a person who is ready and willing to serve. They were like Lurch, the butler in the Adams family. Remember his response to his master? “You rang.” This was their attitude toward their Master, albeit there’s a little cheerier than Lurch.

Let me run you through a very brief exercise that you can do each and every day to prepare yourself for this kind of service to God.   Ro 12:1 says, “ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

The Holy Spirit, speaking through the Apostle Paul BEGS the brethren (believers) by the mercies of God, (because of the mercy that God has extended to us through Christ) that we present our bodies a living sacrifice. (We love on Him, because He first loved on us.) (1 Jn 4:19) 

This idea of presenting ourselves as living sacrifices is really just another way of saying, “Here I am, Lord, presenting myself to you.”  At your service. You rang! What is it that You would have me do?

The holy acceptable part is the idea of receiving Christ’s forgiveness as you daily remember what He did for you in your baptism. This along with confession of sin,  makes you a fit vessel for service, the log is out of your eye, and you are ready to serve.

I guarantee you that if you have that kind of an attitude, that kind of a daily routine that God will allow things to pass, that will give you an opportunity to exercise( or test if you will)  your faith!  If you start your day with that “Here I am” attitude, you put yourself in some pretty good company!

Pray: Lord, by Your mercies, I offer my services to You today. Here I am Lord, what is it that You would have me do?

# 191 My Beersheba

The Book of Genesis

Day 191

Ge 21:25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech's servants had seized.  26 And Abimelech said, "I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today."  27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant.  28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.  29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?"  30 And he said, "You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that they may be my witness that I have dug this well."  31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there.  32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines.  33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.  34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.

This is a significant event in the history of Israel.  Abimelech, realizing that God was with Abraham, 

goes out of his way to ensure good relations with Abraham, but trouble erupts almost immediately.  The area around Beersheba is very arid and water was a prime commodity.  Abraham had dug a well, but Abimelech’s servants had seized it by force.  When confronted with that fact by Abraham,  Abimelech says, “this is news to me!”

Abraham plays along with the game and pays for the well with some sheep and oxen.  But then Abraham does something new. He sets aside seven ewe lambs from his flock and Abimelech asks, “What’s this all about?”  And Abraham in effect says, “these lambs serve as a forever witness between you and I and the Lord God  that I have dug this well.” In other words, this place therefore belongs to me and my posterity, and you know what?  It belongs to Israel to this day! Beersheba marks the southern boundary of Israel.

The number seven is significant because it brings God into the equation in an official capacity. You see, it represents the number of God (3) dealing with the number of the earth (4).  Abimelech is not just dealing with Abraham here….he is dealing with God!

Abraham also marks this place with the planting of a tamarisk tree. This is significant in that a tamarisk tree is extremely slow growing, so Abraham was likely thinking of the next generations .  This was a way of showing he believed all of God’s promises concerning his offspring and this land!

Then Abraham prayed, calling on the name of the Lord, likely praying back the promises of God given to him earlier.

Yes, Beersheba is a significant place! Have you a “Beersheba” in your life? A place where you can go and taste of the living water? A place of significant events in your life where you can go and relive the promises of God with praise and thanksgiving?  It’s not so much about a place, it’s more about taking the time to do it on a regular basis. I have such a place, and I have such a time, ….it’s called church, and I go there weekly to call on the name of the Lord, taking in His Living Water (the Word) and reliving and relishing His promises to me, a poor sinful being!

Pray: Thank You Lord for my Beersheba. May I never grow weary of visiting it for my spiritual refreshment!

# 190 Loyal Heart

The Book of Genesis

Day 190

Ge 21:22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, "God is with you in all that you do. 23 "Now therefore, swear to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt." 24 And Abraham said, "I will swear."

There’s that phrase again!  One of 452 times that it shows up in Scripture. “It came to pass,”  something important occurs here that God is giving the green light to.  That something is connected to the well that Abraham  digs at Beersheba and we’ll get to that next time. For today I want to talk about the respect that Abimelech has for Abraham.

That respect comes from the fact that he has noticed that God is with Abraham in all that Abraham does.  This Abimelech is a powerful man! He is so powerful that he brings his own five star general (Phichol)  along with him for his conference with Abraham. He didn’t come to threaten Abraham or rattle his sword, rather he comes asking that Abraham will do him right and treat him with honesty and kindness.

He asks for the same kind of kindness that he had shown Abraham when he restored Sarah to him.  Why? Why would such a powerful ruler like Abimelech, , who theoretically  could have squashed Abraham and his servants like a bug, be so anxious to find favor with him?

Because he had been observing Abraham and he saw that God was with him, and he thought it would be wise to have Abraham as his friend. Think about his experiences with God through Abraham and you’ll see that this was a no-brainer.. God appeared to Abimelech in a dream and scared the pants off him because of Sarah. God had brought a plague to Abimelech’s camp and when Abraham prayed the plague was lifted, and by now Abimelech was likely aware of the birth of Isaac to this elderly couple. Abraham was not to be messed with!  A friendship with him was something to be desired.

This causes me to wonder: What does the world see when they look at me and my lifestyle? Would they say, “God is clearly with Duane.  Duane would be a welcome ally of mine, especially if I need prayer?”  I really don’t know what would trigger such a response. Would it be the way I handled adversity? Would it be the way I treated others? Would it be the evidence of God’s providential care for me?    

I don’t know! I know one thing that has always stood out to me in Scripture and it comes from 2Ch 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.”This is a passage that we all should deposit in our memory bank, and it should be a top priority for us in our lives as followers of Jesus……loyal hearts! It is the loyal heart that God is looking for, and it is the loyal heart that invites the strength of God into our situations, whatever they may be.

Pray: Lord, let my pledge of loyalty not just be lip service, but let me live in a way that Your searching eyes, and the searching eyes of the lost see my loyalty in action.

# 189 The Prodigal Son

The Book of Genesis

Day 189

Ge 21:15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs.

 16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, "Let me not see the death of the boy." So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

 17 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.

Do you have a prodigal son or daughter? Take heart from this account of Ishmael and Hagar. Hagar did what she could for the boy, even placing him under the shade of a shrub when the water ran out, and then she backed off.  She kept him within view and then poured her heart out to God!  “She feared for his life, and God responds to her with His classic response “Fear not!”

And why should she have fear removed? Because God had heard, not only her voice, but the voice of Ishmael, and He heard the prayer of Ishmael, right where he was at! Remember the prodigal son parable in the Gospel of Luke? Remember where he was at, when he came to his senses? It was not a pretty place.

Ishmael literally had come to the end of himself, and God heard his cry right where he was at. This is the way it must be for all of our children. They have to reach a point where they too come to an end to themselves and cry out to God, and make their faith their own.

This is a difficult time for all parents, but it must be so.  There is a time when the spiritual sustenance that you have provided for them will dry up, and they must be drawn to, and come to, the Living Water of Jesus themselves.  Do what you can for them while they are in your care, but there will come a time when you must back off and allow God to work.

When this time comes, be like Hagar. Weep! Cry out to God as long as there is life in your child. Never give up hope! Keep pounding the gates of heaven asking God to leave the 99 and get your “one.”    

 Pray: Lord, hear the cry of the mournful parents praying for their child! Release the hounds of heaven to bring these lost sheep home. Satisfy their souls with Your Living Water, that they may live.

# 188 Broken Tears For Broken Homes

The Book of Genesis

Day 188

Ge 21:14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.  15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs.  16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, "Let me not see the death of the boy." So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.  17 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, "What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 

Allow your heart to enter this story.  It’s early in the morning. Abraham gets up and puts together a little sustenance for his son and the boys’  mother, and sends them on the way.  All he has is the promise God had given him that the boy would be all right and in fact would grow up to be the father of a great nation. He does this knowing he will never see his son again.

Then there’s Hagar. Sent away with Ishmael and now homeless! All she has to her name is a canteen of water, a little bread, and Ishmael.

Then there’s Ishmael.  He is a teenager, who’s world has just fallen apart. No home, no dad, none of the nice things he once had access to in his father’s house. All he has is his mother.

This is a sad state of affairs….broken homes always are.

How often is the same scenario played out in our world today? Children  born out of wedlock, a divorce, an untimely disease or death, and the worlds of all involved are suddenly turned upside down.  This is not the way God has intended us to live……but it happens. What are we to do? Curse the darkness or light a candle?

To light a candle is to invite God into the situation. Hagar’s tears for the waning strength of her son, were a cry out to God.  Perhaps the psalmist had her in mind when he wrote Ps 56:8,9, “You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?  9 When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.”

It is interesting that we do not read of God’s response to the tears of Hagar but rather the prayer of Ishmael (v17) and this brings something to mind that Jesus spoke of in  Mt 18:10 "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.

Was that Ishmael facing angel  one of the angels that called out to Hagar from heaven? One would certainly think so.

So to all those suffering the consequences of a broken family, let me encourage you today. It’s all right to shed tears. God is aware of your wanderings. He knows where you are traveling right now in this season of your life, and to the children I say….pray. God has angels on standby for you. Your prayers may not be answered in the way you desire, but be assured God has heard them. Keep praying…you have God’s ear and He will respond! Trust in His love for you, He will work it out for your good!

Father, thank You for these words of assurance. I pray that You will come alongside those suffering the consequences of a broken home. Hear their cries, heed their pleas, and provide them with what they need to get through this trying time.

.