FEB 28
Genesis 21:9-21
Memorise Hebrews 13:5-6
“Fear not; for God hath heard…”

With the new addition to the family, Abraham’s household was again thrown into turmoil. Now that Sarah had a son of her own, she was again jealous of Hagar her handmaid, and was very concerned about the status of Abraham’s son through her, Ishmael. Ishmael too was not pleased with the turn of events, and he was found to be ‘mocking’, meaning to have disdain and ridicule towards having a step-brother. Thus the joy that they had with Isaac’s birth was overshadowed by the conflict that started to arise between Sarah and Ishmael. This caused Abraham no small amount of consternation, for “the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son” (Genesis 21:11).

Perhaps what caused even more grief to Abraham was God’s instruction to Abraham on how he ought to respond to the situation at hand. He was told to hearken to Sarah’s desire to cast Hagar and her son out of the household. As a father, it would have pained his heart greatly to cast an innocent 13 year old son out of the house and expect him to fend for himself in the wilderness. Nonetheless God assured him that “also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed” (Genesis 21:13). And so trusting in God’s protection, though with a heavy heart, Abraham equipped them with as much provision as they could carry, and sent Hagar and Ishmael out into the wilderness.

Soon, mother and child ran out of water. Desperate, Hagar left her child under the bushes, for she could not bear to watch her poor son die. It was here that the Lord called to Hagar, and assured her of the promise that He made to her many years ago, before Ishmael was born. In Genesis 16:10, when Hagar had fled into the wilderness whilst bearing Ishmael, the Lord had already told her that “I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude”. Whilst she may have forgotten this promise, God certainly had not, and here further reiterated the covenant, by assuring her that “I will make him a great nation” (Genesis 21:18), and by virtue of that fact, what she would infer was that this was certainly not the time for him to die. True enough, as she looked up, there was a well of water right before them. They lived, and in time to come, the descendants of Ishmael did indeed become a great nation. God kept His promise!

Thought: We may forget, but God never forgets!

Prayer: Lord, thank You for all the precious promises You have given!