The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the
wilderness, along the road to Shur. 8 The angel said to her, “Hagar,
Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”“I’m
running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied. 9 The angel of
the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her
authority.” 10 Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you
can count.” 11 And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will
give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God
hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. 12 This son of
yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his
fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will
live in open hostility against all his relatives.” 13 Thereafter, Hagar
used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said,
“You are the God who sees me.”… 15 So Hagar gave Abram a son, and
Abram named him Ishmael.” Gen 16:7–15
When we draw close to God, we sometimes get a little possessive of Him. Take the two women we’ve been reading about, Sarai and Hagar. One is wealthy, the other a servant. Sarai has her own view of who God is, perhaps from Abram and also personal experiences, while Hagar has her moments of prayer and experience of God that define for her what He is like and wants for her life.
Same God, different relationships, and all of this as it should be.
Abram will have two sons. Isaac will be born from Sarai. First, though, Ishmael arrives through Hagar. Isaac’s line will lead to the Jewish nation then eventually to Jesus and Christianity. Ishmael (and Hagar) leave this story in another chapter or two, but many Muslims claim to be descended through Ishmael’s line (though this is also disputed by many).
In a world of Us versus Them, we fear people who see the Father differently than us. Current extremism climate aside, many Christians see Muslims as the enemy, as a people not looked upon with affection by God. They are of “that line” (Ishmael), not “our line” (Isaac). Notice how God treats Hagar and her child in these verses (and later ones). He has not forsaken them; He loves and cares for them.
Do we see people who do not view God “our way,” or for that matter
those who may not know Him at all, as being less deserving of His love?
We hold on to the way “we know” God as being the right way and anyone
else’s as wrong. Because it’s different.
Have you ever visited a friend’s home as a child and been surprised, even uncomfortable, that they do “family” differently than yours? Different traditions, food, smells?
As we read God’s Word, study the parables and lessons of Jesus from the Gospels, we learn more and more of our Father’s nature. We ask questions, get answers and grow up as His child. For each of us, this process will look a little – or very – different than someone else’s, and will take a lifetime.
The person beside us, Christian, Jew, Muslim, beginning their walk or serving their faith community for decades, will step with God differently than us, with different traditions, different “smells.” It’s their identity in many, many ways. For us ever to share our own life with people around us, we must first be ready, and willing, to accept theirs.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the differences in every person, and how our home with You is unique from everyone else’s. May we celebrate these differences, rather than fear them.
When we draw close to God, we sometimes get a little possessive of Him. Take the two women we’ve been reading about, Sarai and Hagar. One is wealthy, the other a servant. Sarai has her own view of who God is, perhaps from Abram and also personal experiences, while Hagar has her moments of prayer and experience of God that define for her what He is like and wants for her life.
Same God, different relationships, and all of this as it should be.
Abram will have two sons. Isaac will be born from Sarai. First, though, Ishmael arrives through Hagar. Isaac’s line will lead to the Jewish nation then eventually to Jesus and Christianity. Ishmael (and Hagar) leave this story in another chapter or two, but many Muslims claim to be descended through Ishmael’s line (though this is also disputed by many).
In a world of Us versus Them, we fear people who see the Father differently than us. Current extremism climate aside, many Christians see Muslims as the enemy, as a people not looked upon with affection by God. They are of “that line” (Ishmael), not “our line” (Isaac). Notice how God treats Hagar and her child in these verses (and later ones). He has not forsaken them; He loves and cares for them.
Have you ever visited a friend’s home as a child and been surprised, even uncomfortable, that they do “family” differently than yours? Different traditions, food, smells?
As we read God’s Word, study the parables and lessons of Jesus from the Gospels, we learn more and more of our Father’s nature. We ask questions, get answers and grow up as His child. For each of us, this process will look a little – or very – different than someone else’s, and will take a lifetime.
The person beside us, Christian, Jew, Muslim, beginning their walk or serving their faith community for decades, will step with God differently than us, with different traditions, different “smells.” It’s their identity in many, many ways. For us ever to share our own life with people around us, we must first be ready, and willing, to accept theirs.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for the differences in every person, and how our home with You is unique from everyone else’s. May we celebrate these differences, rather than fear them.
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