Fri.’s Devo - Ishmael to Isaac

Read: Genesis 16:1-18:15; Matthew 6:1-24; Psalm 7:1-17; Proverbs 2:1-5 God and Abram had the conversation about an heir and then years went by and Abram had to wonder if God had forgotten his promise, but Sarai didn’t forget. She convinced Abram to take her servant, Hagar and have a son through her. When Hagar became pregnant, she began to treat Sarai with contempt. It upset Sari so much that she complained to Abram. He told to that Hagar was her servant and she could do what she wanted. Sarai was so mean to Hagar that Hagar fled into the wilderness. God found her on the road to Shur. “Shur” means “a place of observation” and it was there that God observed her. God sent an angel to ask her where she was going. The angel told her to go back to Sarai and be submissive. God had put a son in her she was to name Ishmael. He would be wild and be against everyone and everyone would be against him. He would be openly hostile to his own relatives. When Ishmael was born, Abram was 86. Thirteen years later, God appeared to Abram and announced himself as El-Shaddai, “God Almighty.” God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and told him that he would be the father of many nations and that kings would come from his line. God told him to circumcise his sons and male servants as a covenant. He would give him the whole land of Canaan and Sarai would be now called Sarah - from “princesses” to “a princess”. She was not just one of many women, she was significant and called out for this purpose. She would have a son and they would name him Issac. God’s covenant would be with him. As soon as the angel left, Abraham did exactly what he was told to do. He circumcised the men in his care. A few days later an angel came back and Abraham ran to have a meal made for him. While they were eating, he asked about Sarah. He told her that he would return about the same time next year and Sarah would have a son. Sarah was listening from the tent and laughed because it was so unbelievable. The angels asked why she laughed and Sarah denied it. The angel told her that she did laugh. He told her, ‘Is there anything too great for the Lord?’ Let’s let that be our theme this year…Is there anything too great for the Lord? Jesus continues his sermon on the mountain. He warned us not to do our good deeds to be seen of man but let God be the one to reward us. When we pray, do it in private so God can be the one who satisfies us. Jesus gave a simple prayer for us to use as an example. We begin by acknowledging who we are talking to. Then we pray his will to be done on earth like it is being done in heaven. He told us not to store up treasure here on earth but know that our treasure is Jesus and he is storing up treasures for us in heaven. We are to pray for daily needs and forgive others. We should pray to not be led into temptation but for the Lord to rescue us from the evil one. It is paramount that we forgive others so we will be forgiven. When we fast we do it in secret. What we put before our eyes will affect our hearts so to stay spiritually healthy, we need to be always looking at the light of Christ. He will enlighten and heal our mind, soul and body. Lord, thank you for your Word that is a light unto our path.