“The seeds of a future problem”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Tuesday, February 1, 2022
Genesis 21:1-21 (Forward, p. 3) CEV p. 18
Abraham and Sarah had no idea of what their present decision would bode for the future. Sarah simply did not want the son of her slave Hagar to be raised along with her son and share in the family inheritance, and so she asked Abraham rather pointedly to toss Hagar and Ishmael from their household. Abraham was terribly distressed by what might happen to the two of them once they were ‘on their own’, but he was reassured by God that it was alright. In fact, He promised Abraham that He would make Ishmael the father of a great nation, and, as we see in today’s passage, undertook very dramatically his safety and sustenance. However, what we do not see in today’s passage is that Ishmael would be the father of the Arab nations and the revered ancestor, and the heir of God’s promises and blessings according to Islam. And so the tensions, rivalry and hostility go way back, even into antiquity, even into the ancient history of God’s people.
What this says to me is that we can never know for sure the end results, the outcome, of any decision or action we make in the present. King David certainly experienced that in his unwise actions concerning Bathsheba, and countless others have learned this lesson ever since then. And so, it seems all the more imperative to me that we diligently seek God’s face and God’s will and then try our outmost to follow it. For in so doing, we not only obey God’s word and intentions, but also stave off planting the seeds of future problems. Amen.
Forward notes: ”Now Sarah said, ‘God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me’” (verse 6).
“My earliest experiences of church were all about learning to behave there. Before I knew anything about the love of God, I had a general understanding that God was most pleased with me when I stayed quiet and sat still. Why else would I have to be so quiet and still every time I went into God’s house?
“It took me many years to learn that God delights not only in our silence but also in our noise—especially our joyful shouts and our laughter. In the book of Genesis, Sarah grows old waiting for God to give her a child.
When her long-awaited son Isaac is born, she is so overjoyed that she bursts out laughing, inviting everyone around her to join in at the wonderful news. She praises God for sending such a wonderful blessing into her life and giving her a reason to laugh.
“God is the giver of all good things and is always looking for reasons to rejoice with us.”
Moving Forward: “Have you noticed places in your life where God has answered your longing and sent you joy? How can you glorify God with your laughter?”
