Thurs.’s Devo - Heaven’s Perspective

Read: Genesis 16:1-18:15; Matthew 6:1-24; Psalm 7:1-17; Proverbs 2:1-5 The clock was ticking and Sarai had not had a child yet. Satan had planted his seed right in the middle of their lives - Hagar, the Egyptian servant. “Hagar” means “ensnaring”. She was the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. She was available and full of seed. Once again it is Eve (Sarai) who entices man to sin. Abram took the bait and ate. Instead of bringing the peace and joy that they had anticipated, it produced strife and jealousy. Hagar finally fled but God sent his angel to turn her around because she was carrying Abram’s seed. God told her that her son’s name would be Ishmael but he would be wild and untamed and hostile toward everyone and especially against his own relatives. Hagar returned and had her son when Abram was 86. Thirteen years later God declared it was time for God’s word to come to earth. He changed Abram’s name to Abraham which means the “father of a multitude of nations”. He was giving him the entire and of Canaan to be his descendants forever. God instituted circumcism as the sign of his covenant with man. Then he told her that Sarai’s name would change to Sarah. “Sarai” means “my princess” to “Sarah” which means “Princess”. She was to be a princess to the world. When Abraham turned 100, they would have Isaac, the son of promise. He would be the father of twelve princes and become a great nation. Abraham quickly circumcised his family and servants. Ishmael was thirteen. God sent three angels to Sodom and Gomorrah to destroy them. They stopped to see Abraham first. While Sarah was preparing food for them they asked about Sarah. They told him again what God had said about her having a son. This time she heard it with her own ears. She laughed sarcastically in the tent thinking they couldn’t see or hear her. The Lord who knows all and sees all called her out on it. Their rebuke was, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” What a great question to ponder. Nothing is too hard for the creator of the universe. Matthew reiterates this very thing. We should do our good deeds for heaven to see, not earth. The same goes for our prayers. We are praying to God so he is the one we address and talk to. It is not in the length of our prayers but the sincerity of our hearts. Jesus gave us a short but powerful prayer to pray. He talked on about forgiveness, fasting, and investing. It all goes back to the heart. How we see things affects our heart. If we let the light of God be what we look at, it will affect our whole perspective. Lord, help us to keep our eyes on You. You are the one who gives and blesses and it is all for your good pleasure.