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| March 9 |
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And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away. |
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Genesis 21:14 |
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God made the promise to Abraham, and reiterated it several times, that Ishmael would become a mighty nation. Here Abraham wisely decided not to give God a hand in fulfilling what He had promised. After all, that’s how Ishmael was conceived in the first place.
Consequently, Abraham shows incredible peace. He gives Ishmael and Hagar a bit of water and a bit of bread, in effect saying, “I trust the Lord is going to do what He said, not because of my provision, but because of His promise.”
Mom and Dad, let this be a comfort to you today. The promises of God toward my children are the same as toward yours . . .
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). No matter what desert your child is in, no matter in what dry region he finds himself, even when he is old he won’t depart from the way he’s been trained.
“For I know whom I have believed,” said Paul, “and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him” (2 Timothy 1:12). Have you committed your kids to the Lord? God is able to keep them. This doesn’t mean He’s merely capable. It means He’s committed to keeping that which has been entrusted to Him.
I hate it when I panic. I get worried. I get uptight. And I run around like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to make something happen. Faith is the opposite of panic. I love it when I’m not panicking, when I’m walking in faith. When I walk in faith, I’m not irritated, anxious, or upset. There’s a peace deep within me and a serenity that overflows from me. I like it when I walk in faith like Abraham.
Abraham said, “Ishmael, Hagar, here’s some water and some bread. God be with you.” He is maturing, this mighty man of God. He is growing, this giant of faith. He’ll miss Ishmael, but he trusts God completely, knowing God will do exactly what He said He would.
And He’ll do the same for you. |
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