We are still paying...
Illustration
Object:
We are still paying for Abraham's and Sarah's mistake with Hagar. The Arab nations that are descended from Hagar's son, Ishmael, have been fighting the sons of Isaac for thousands of years. They are still fighting each other today. Just as Adam blamed Eve, we like to blame Sarah for Abraham's goof up. She felt she was too old to have children so she suggested the next thing that came to her mind -- her maidservant! Hagar must have been much younger (and maybe better looking!) so Abraham foolishly went along with it.
That shows what the world had to pay for one seemingly small mistake -- for not taking God seriously when he said that Sarah was going to have a child. I know there can be problems with taking God too literally, so be careful.
To compound the error, Hagar was thrown out along with her son. That put enmity between them that has never been resolved. There is still disagreement about who the true heir of Abraham really is.
Even though God intended Isaac to be the top dog, he still heard the cry of the little son of Hagar who was thirsty. God cares about everyone. Yes he cares about Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike.
This also says something about racial prejudice. If your enemy, who happens to be different from you, is crying for water, give him water. It may lay the groundwork for healing. It may take generations for the message to get through, but it will. It is the foundation of most mission work.
It is true that even our good intentions can be taken wrongly. So if you do what is right or wrong, you may suffer and your descendants may pay for it -- or benefit from it. Stay close to God and to his church and read his word with prayer.
That shows what the world had to pay for one seemingly small mistake -- for not taking God seriously when he said that Sarah was going to have a child. I know there can be problems with taking God too literally, so be careful.
To compound the error, Hagar was thrown out along with her son. That put enmity between them that has never been resolved. There is still disagreement about who the true heir of Abraham really is.
Even though God intended Isaac to be the top dog, he still heard the cry of the little son of Hagar who was thirsty. God cares about everyone. Yes he cares about Muslims, Jews, and Christians alike.
This also says something about racial prejudice. If your enemy, who happens to be different from you, is crying for water, give him water. It may lay the groundwork for healing. It may take generations for the message to get through, but it will. It is the foundation of most mission work.
It is true that even our good intentions can be taken wrongly. So if you do what is right or wrong, you may suffer and your descendants may pay for it -- or benefit from it. Stay close to God and to his church and read his word with prayer.
