READ: Genesis 21:8
CHALLENGE: Know that God is With You Even in Difficulty
- GOD WORKS DESPITE RELATIONAL HARDSHIPS
Vv8-9 – 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.
Isaac grew. He was weaned. On the day that Isaac was weaned, Abraham threw a party to celebrate it and it’s described as a great feast. I assume it’s a joyful time with music, food, and dancing! People were having a good time.
However, not everyone is having a great time. Sarah’s not. Ishmael’s not because Sarah saw Ishmael mocking her son, intentionally. Ouch! Can you imagine, mothers? Watching someone mock your precious child at the time he’s being celebrated? “Just mock him one more time and see what happens to you”! And if Sarah saw it, I would assume others did as well. Can you allow that example to stand from the oldest son of Abraham? Sarah didn’t think so.
Thus, this celebration of Isaac was marred by rivaly and bitterness. It then morphs into rejection, divorce, abandonment, and desperation. Yet even in the screaming acrimony, God is managing to work out his plan for their lives and the world. God is at work.
- God Works in Hardships During Times of Celebration
This makes me sad that it happens during a time of celebration. How ugly! You just want to have a good time and enjoy a celebration but you can’t because someone is fighting. This negative energy pours down on the feast like rain on a parade!
I hate it when heartache finds you on happy days. But sometimes it does. Like the Song, Quiet Town, by The Killers – A couple of kids got hit by a Union Pacific train. Carrying sheet metal and household appliances through the pouring rain, They were planning on getting married after graduation, had a little baby girl, trouble came and shut it down. Things like that ain’t supposed to happen in this quiet town.
This shouldn’t be happening! Remember Job? His life was going great until it wasn’t. He was doing everything right yet he suffered. It didn’t mean that God wasn’t for him or that he was on the wrong path.
We want good days to be insulated from bad days and most times, they are.
As long as we live shoulder to shoulder with people, we will never be immune from negatives. Sometimes you just try to have church and there’s drama. This doesn’t mean that God is not there. God can work in the lives of both sides of this quarrel. And perhaps you like and that perhaps you don’t. But it’s the truth and you just have to stand back and let God work in the messes we leave him at times. Thank God for that!
So for all of you with exes and family fractures. You’re not alone. Don’t be a mocking Ishmael because that might bite you badly. But be confident that God can work.
- God Works in Hardships of Personal Problems
It doesn’t take long for her to react to the mocking. She tells Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son”. THAT WOMAN! And her son will NEVER share in the inheritance with my son Isaac. Get them out of here! These words are dripping with bitterness and anger.
You look at it on the surface and it seems like such an over-reaction, right? Someone mocks your kid and you kick them out into the desert? I mean, come on! This could easily lead to their deaths. It’s hardly death worthy. Plus, this is a blended family and you have to accept that.
Remember the old saying, “It’s complicated”? Like every other tangled relational rift, we must assume we don’t know it all. In this story, we’re seeing Sarah’s reaction to the only part of the story we’re privy too. What we don’t get to see are the thousand other things that went on ahead of this moment.
While it may not seem like a big deal on the surface, Sarah’s bucket is full and when the bucket it full, it only takes one drop for it to overflow. It might seem like a slight provocation you could graciously overlook. Again, we weren’t there for all of it so you really can’t rush to judgment.
What will happen if this continues? What would happen if Ishmael wound up splitting the inheritance with Isaac upon Abraham and Sarah’s death? What happens if he’s more powerful when Abraham and Sarah are no longer there? Especially with Hagar at the wheel? They might drive Issac to be the first one to discover the new world! Like I said, it’s complicated. It’s guaranteed to be deeper than what meets the eye.
While parting ways may seem like an overreaction, perhaps not. Sarah is reading the situation exactly as it should be. Perhaps she can see down the road to when Abraham and Sarah are gone to a time when the older Ishmael would flex his muscle and bury Isaac in the sand.
There are times that things happen between people and we don’t understand it. We see the divide. Just know that it’s typically more complicated than the one side you heard. When I see marriages come apart, I have to accept that I wasn’t there. I didn’t see everything that went on.
Illustration
- God Works in Hardships Created by Our Own Imperfections
Why is Ishmael mocking? Ishmael’s attitude reflects the attitude of the mother. Parents, our family will reflect our attitude toward the world and others as well. If you want to know how someone feels about you watch how their children treat you. It can be telling. I highly doubt Hagar was modeling a humble attitude. Ishmael and Hagar are far from perfect in this mess.
None of us handle everything perfectly. I’m sure that there are days that my wife and I don’t get along because I’m just not PERFECT ENOUGH for her! Seriously, if my attitude isn’t right, she still has to deal with me as I cause my own problems. Ishmael was not perfect. I’m sure Sarah wasn’t either.
Let’s realize that there is plenty to improve upon in our human condition, yet God is using us. He used people like Moses who killed a man. He used David who committed adultery. He used Rahab who was a prostitute. These people all changed and God was graciously working in their lives.
You don’t have to be perfect to have God’s love. God will be with Hagar and Ishmael even though they had done some things wrong too. God is with you as well.
Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
This is such a great verse. God doesn’t wait for us to be sinless before He shows grace and we shouldn’t either. God loves you. Jesus died for you. Jesus forgave people from the cross. God used the cruelty of man to crucify Jesus and atone for our sins. It’s truly amazing.
- GOD WORKS DESPITE HEARTBREAK AND DIVISION (vv11-13)
Vv11-13 – 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 offspringwill be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”
Look at poor Abraham. He goes from rejoicing to distressed. Perhaps he wishes he never threw this celebration in the first place is it became the catalyst for dramatic change in his life. It provided the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Abraham was distressed because it concerned his son, Ishmael. He loves Sarah but he loves Ishmael and Hagar too. All of this mess had nothing to do with the love Abraham had for them. This is evil in Abraham’s eyes and clearly not the answer. It’s super emotional yet in these deep emotions, God speaks and leads him. Don’t be so distressed. Listen to Sarah. And I will make Ishmael a great nation too. I wouldn’t have expected God to side with Sarah here but He knows what’s down the road.
God encouraged him in his dark moment by reminding him that the child would have a great future and become a nation. Don’t be discouraged. Sarah wasn’t wrong from God’s perspective and it needed to happen from a logical position. There is the emotional part where we don’t want to see any separation. But there is a logical perspective that makes it unavoidable at times. Like Paul and Barnabas parting ways.
God is still working. While Sarah might not have wanted goodwill for Ishmael, God does. You don’t get to decide a person’s destiny, God does. And if God wants to raise someone up, he’s allowed to do it. God rose up a villain like Paul. He called a tax collector. He changed Mary Magdalene’s life. He turned fishermen into evangelists. Jesus forgave people that the Pharisees thought didn’t deserve it. It’s not our decision and we don’t control where God works. Including those who aren’t in your fan base!
Sometimes you have to cut bait and move on. Not everything is going to get resolved. Not everyone is meant to work together. Just do your best and trust God to work.
Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
You live this way and you’ll have more peace. Be happy for God’s good will in the lives of others because God has been good to you as well, even when you didn’t deserve it. When I’ve seen people part ways and be all gripy, I typically don’t wish ill. And if God blesses, I’m happy to hear it. Not everyone will be on the same page, just look at denominations. However, God is still working.
Sarah sends away a person that God will turn into a nation.
Sometimes there is strife at work and you’ll leave. Don’t have hard feelings – allow God to work and lead.
(trans.) The sadness continues.
- GOD IS WORKING WHEN LIFE IS UPSIDE DOWN
V14 – 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.
One thing about Abraham, he does not delay obeying what God tells him to do. He rips off the bandaid. Early the next morning they were sent off. This is also a decision of faith because he believes that God will supply their needs and bless. God will bless the separation.
He gave her food and a skin of water and put them on her shoulders and sent her off with the boy.
- God is with Us in New Places
She’s now wandering in the Desert of Beersheba. She doesn’t know where she is per se as she’s wandering in the wilderness without knowing where the water supply was. Everything is new. I like familiarity but occasionally God will call us into uncharted waters.
Perhaps a new job. Perhaps a new church. Perhaps a new house. Perhaps a new town. Perhaps a new situation. Perhaps a new ministry. New things can be scary but God was there.
Psalm 139:7-10 – Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
We find in the Word of God that wherever we are, God is there already. So as she wanders into the wilderness, God is already there. When you wander into the desert of uncertainty, God is there remaining with you at all times.
I’ve had to do plenty of new things over the years and God has been with us.
- God is With Us When Life is Unfair
They were sent out with some food and water basically. No money. No help. No servants. They left penniless. You talk about seeming injustice! She was a wife but got pitched out without a dime. You have some food and water and thanks for the memories. Good luck to you. It’s stunning. Have you ever felt that life was completely unfair? That you got dealt a hand that was wrong? It’s not what you would want it to be. Jesus did! They put Jesus on a cross but God still was working.
Some of the worse things that happened to me be turned out to be a blessing. I hate it at the time but it made me stronger and God got me through it.
James 1:2-4 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
That’s right! Jesus entrusted himself to God when he dealt with injustice – we do the same thing.
- God is With Us When Others Reject Us
I can’t imagine the rejection that would have been felt by Ishmael and Hagar as well. Abraham is one of the most famous people in the Bible. This powerful man sends here away! It seems she’s worthless and so much less. It hurts so much to be rejected even if you brought it on yourself.
Just because Sarah rejected Hagar didn’t mean that God rejected her. And that’s true for all of us. Just because someone spurns you, it doesn’t mean you’re worthless. Just because someone else has had enough of you, doesn’t mean that God has.
God was still with her. Some of you haven’t been enough for someone. Enough for them to quit drinking. Enough for them to work to support you. You may feel like you’re not good enough. You’re a child of God! He loves you and please allow that to comfort you.
Move forward in that knowledge! Know your worth in His eyes.
- God is With Us in Desperate Moments
V15 – 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.”
She left her son because she thought he would die and she could not bear to watch it. Who cares right? She had no one. She was at the very end of the rope. She was crying and what happened? God heard her!
She thought for sure that she was dead. This was a hard situation to deal with. It’s the end of your rope but at the end of the rope, God is still there. You’re so desperate that you see no way out. Yet God always makes a way out. There’s always something for God to do.
Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is there. His rod and staff they comfort us as he gets us to another great place in our lives. But we have to follow Him.
When Jairus’ daughter died, Jesus was there. When the disciples thought the boat would sink, Jesus was there. When the people were hungry, Jesus was there. When Jesus was in the tomb three days, God was there.
God heard the boy crying. Lift the boy up. I’ll make him a great nation. But all seems so lost. It seems like there is nothing left to hope for. And here is God saying, your boy with be a great nation. What? I’m preparing to die. You have a future. God knows the plan he has for you.
What am I saying? I wouldn’t give up. I’d never give up because God is powerful and he’s working.
Let’s notice that God did not prevent this and that God is there. Just because you’re going through something painful, it doesn’t mean that God is not right there with you. Pain is not the determiner of God’s working.
One thing that we need to learn is that we shouldn’t give up. God heard your cries. He always knew.
- God Provides in our worst moments
V19 – 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.
Reminds me of Naomi coming back to Israel with nothing. Her daughter in law Ruth was a foreigner but God still took care of her. She would be in the family line of David and also that of Jesus Christ. Desperate times but God was still working.
Life can be bitter but God still provides for us even in times of difficulty.
- God is With You
V20 – 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.
God was with the boy as he grew. Abraham shared no wealth with them but they had God. God does not reject us. God was with the boy. One days the boy felt like God was there and on the days that God didn’t feel like He was there.
Let’s face it. If it were not for God, we would not accomplish what we do. Let’s be thankful for the great things that God does.