In Genesis 21:1-20, We saw the promise that God gave Abraham 25 years prior fulfilled in the birth of Isaac! The name Isaac means “He Laughs” and the joy his birth brought Sarah caused her to be filled with joy and laughter as well! But Sarah still had issues with the child Abraham conceived with Sarah’s maid servant, Hagar. Now that she had her own son, she could not stand the constant reminder of seeing Ishmael in her home. She didn’t want Ishmael taking anything that was meant for her precious Isaac, and she had Hagar and Ishmael sent away. It was not pretty in the desert for the two of them and they almost died for lack of water, but God heard their cries and provided for them.
This was an interesting section, Abraham and Sarah had to wait a long time for the birth of their son. And sometimes they didn’t wait patiently, Sarah took matters into her own hands and the consequences of that child are still being felt throughout the world, many thousand years later.
It’s interesting that even after God showed himself faithful, Sarah didn’t truly trust God with Ishmael in their lives, like he (Ishmael) was still going to steal Isaac’s inheritance, she sent him away from them. But the truth is, Isaac was always going to be the father of God’s nation, with or with an Ishmael to contend with. God had a plan.
Sometimes we try to manipulate our lives to go the way we think they should. Today, let’s stop trying to make life happen our way, and allow God to guide and direct our lives for His glory!
