A few verses stuck out at me in today’s reading:
The LORD visited Sarah just as he had said he would and did for Sarah what he had promised. (21:1)
It’s amazing how such a simple verse could bring such great comfort. Despite the fact that God constantly reiterates it throughout Scripture, I often forget that our God is one who always keeps his promises. What he has promised, he will do.
But God heard the boy’s voice. The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Don’t be afraid for God has heard the boy’s voice right where he is crying. (21:17)
For those times when I forget that God keeps his promises and find myself feeling hopeless, all I need to do is cry out. God will hear me right where I am crying.
But Abraham lodged a complaint against Abimelech concerning a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized. “I do not know who has done this thing,” Abimelech replied. “Moreover, you did not tell me. I did not hear about it until today.”
When I feel I have been wronged, it is my inclination to think that the other person did or said (or didn’t do or didn’t say) something on purpose. This account shows, however, that before I get offended, it’s probably a good idea to confront the person first. As was the case with Abimelech, the other person may not know they have hurt me until I tell them.
Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man who had lived a full life. He joined his ancestors. His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him…(25:8-9)
I didn’t necessarily see an application here. I just thought it was neat that despite the circumstances surrounding their births, and despite the enmity that will eventually develop between their descendants, these two brothers reunited one more time to bury their father. It either shows that there need not be so much strife between Jews and Muslims or that Abraham was such a good father to the two of them that they put aside their differences to honor his memory.
So Esau swore an oath to him and sold his birthright to Jacob…So Esau despised his birthright. (25:33-34)
A note in my Bible says that the phrase “despised his birthright” doesn’t speak to the fact that he regretted selling it, but rather that he thought so little of it in the first place that he was willing to sell it for the immediate and momentary pleasure of a good meal. May we be mindful of the immense vale of our birthright as sons of God and joint heirs with Christ. And may we not be people who are willing to give it up for immediate and momentary pleasures.