Rejection and Ejection as a Pathway to Righteousness

Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.  Therefore she said to Abraham, "Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac."  The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son.  But God said to Abraham, "Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named.  "And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant."  So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. (Genesis 21:9-14 NASB)

This is an account where what's really going on is implied rather than explicit.  First off, for whatever reason, Ishmael is never named but referred to obliquely throughout the chapter.  Second, he wasn't mocking, he was laughing with the boy named for such behavior.  I see clues that there are two other reasons for sending Hagar and Ishmael away.

The first is from what Sarah says to Abraham, "...the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac."  It's not that they "play" together, it's that Ishmael threatens Isaac's inheritance, or blessing, from Abraham.  It is more jealousy than physical or emotional protection of Isaac.  But why be jealous?  Hasn't God made it clear that Isaac will be the one through whom the promise and covenant will pass?  Time for the second clue.

The second clue I find in what God says to Abraham.  Abraham doesn't want to send Ishmael away.  He wasn't distressed for Hagar, the word was evil in his eyes because of Ishmael.  It sounds like a natural attachment of a father to a son, but God says something interesting, "...through Isaac your descendants will be named."  That hadn't been brought up, but wouldn't it be strongly inferred from the promise?  God will make Abraham a great nation, and the promise is to pass through the promised son.  Yet, God has to tell Abraham again, more specifically.  It's as if Abraham still holds on to the possibility that Ishmael can carry the blessing of God; or at least his family blessing.

I see two possibilities that could be true at the same time.  I think Sarah is jealous and I think Abraham has given her reason to be.  He seems to still hold on to a primary position for Ishmael in his heart.  It shows up when he is asked by Sarah to send Hagar and Ishmael away.  God finally points it out.  But God appreciates that this view isn't evil in a character sense, but it is evil in a "faith" sense.  It is contrary to the direction laid out by God.  Abraham still hopes for Ishmael.  And God honors the character of Abraham.  He again promises to make Ishmael into a great nation. 

The point I take from this is that my Master knows me better than I know myself.  He sees the places where I'm in denial.  He sees the places I'm completely blind to my weaknesses.  But He also is diligent to correct those faith flaws that aren't necessarily character flaws.  In other words He corrects character that distracts from faith.  It may not have been Abraham's problem, but when my Master reveals character that is contrary to His call, I also discover that the character quality is often about me rather than my Master. 

An example of this is discernment.  Through the study of Scriptures, I can often discern when people and situations deviate from my Master's design.  This isn't all that unique, in fact it's really common.  But when I decide to step in where I'm not invited either by my Master or the person(s) involved, that discernment becomes about me rather than about my relationship with my Master.  Sometimes my Master does invite me, and then it's a faith issue to become involved.  But if I'm not prompted by His Spirit, and the person hasn't asked, then I need to draw from my discernment and pray specifically for the person(s) in that situation.  That's just one example, but it demonstrates the difference between the unrighteous good and the righteous good.  One is about me, that is self-righteousness.  The other is about my Master, and that's true righteousness.

He Who Laughs First

Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."  Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?"  And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before You!"  But God said, "No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.  "As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.  "But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year."  When He finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. (Genesis 17:15-22 NASB)

This is the main place this chapter overlaps with the next.  In addition to the charge to circumcise, enough to fill a conversation all by itself, God also gives the timing of the child of promise, and the missing detail that he will come through Sarah (quick name change to grow her up, you know, now that she's 90 and all).  The element about Sarah bearing a child is more than Abraham can bear, and he falls further on his face (see verse 3).  It's as if he falls down laughing, so I imagine him going from a bowing position to rolling over holding his belly laughing.

I can only imagine all the emotion that the laughter contains.  He has waited 13 years for another word from his Master, he has raised a son he loves, he has achieved a "grove", and now to have it interrupted...again.  It couldn't have been easy wondering for the last 13 years where this child he invested his heart into would fit, or even if he would fit, into God's plan.  Again with the life interruption.  Again with the plan changes.  It could very well have been that if Abraham hadn't laughed, he would have cried.

So now the name of the child will be Isaac, he laughs.  Here it is Abraham laughing, yet still pushing for minimal disruption in his world.  "Oh that Ishmael might live before You!"  A plea for the child he has come to love, his child, first born son, and the one he has poured 13 years into.  God hears the plea, and His word to Abraham sounds a lot better than the "donkey man" speech He gave to Hagar.  But it is clear that Ishmael will not be the chosen one.  So what were the last 13 years about anyway?

This time next year Isaac will be here.  One more year to wait and the child of promise will finally arrive.  It's been 13, and now there is one more.  What is the thing God is revealing about Himself that is so important?  What do I learn about my Master from Abram's waiting 13 years for a name change and a "frag order"?  What do I learn about my Master from dragging out the fulfillment of this promise, the gradual revelation of various details, the name changes, and the incorporation of the one not chosen?  What's the lesson?

Who am I to put my Master in a box or framework to enable me to understand Him?  When does it become possible that He will accommodate my timing over His own?  What plan can I come up with that covers the bases, dots the i's and crosses the t's to a more thorough degree than His?  Why do I continue to see the world around me through lenses I create, grind, and wear, knowing they distort the truth my Master wants me to see (I call these lenses 'fear')?  Seriously, the lesson I believe in this passage for me is, "How long before I finally relent and let God be the Master of all?"

The laugh of Abraham could also have been one of relief.  The peace missing for the last 13 years, caused by the tension of knowing that the child before you isn't the child of promise, but having no other alternative.  The released tension of wanting desperately to hear the voice of his Master, yet being left to muddle or trudge through on his own; well at least feeling that way.

Perhaps what I need to learn is to laugh with Abraham; to release my tension and receive His peace; to finally drop my lenses; to finally disassemble my "framework" limiting my Master; to quit planning for Him, finally, and just let Him be the God Who Hears, Who laughs, Who sees me, and Who permits me to see Him and live.  Maybe what I need is a good laugh.  So, a horse walks into a bar, and the bartender says, "Why the long face?"

Hearing The Hearing God Without Being Distracted By Him

Gen 16:11-14 (NASB)

11 The angel of the Lord said to her further,

“Behold, you are with child,
And you will bear a son;
And you shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has given heed to your affliction.
12 “He will be a wild donkey of a man,
His hand will be against everyone,
And everyone’s hand will be against him;
And he will live to the east of all his brothers.”
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “ You are a God who sees”; for she said, “ Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer- lahai- roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

God commands that the "wild donkey of a man" be called Ishmael, meaning "God hears". But Hagar (and everyone using the well) called God, the God Who sees. It's not like I have to choose which one is right, but this is somewhat like today: I choose for myself which truth of God I want today, rather than listen for His lesson.

Again, it's not that the truth I choose isn't truth, it's more that it's not the lesson my Master is teaching me about Himself right then. Ironically, here He calls Himself the Hearing God, but Hagar isn't listening. She's so distracted by having seen God and survived. Again, not wrong, just ironic.

How patient my Master is with me to teach me but permit me to walk away with a different lesson. What do I miss when I do that? I perceive Truth when I meet my Master, He is the Truth, the Way, and the Life. Yet when I come away with a different truth than the truth He has for me, what have I lost? Perhaps the good versus the best, or perfect?

The question, or application, or lesson is "Do I listen to the Listening God, or am I too distracted by another of His 'Truths' to hear the one He has for me today?" He is the Listening God, but am I His listening servant? It's good to be called His Knight and His servant; I am close to Him by invitation. But am I hearing what He says or distracted by what I see? I suppose once again it's a pride issue, and a submission issue. Why am I not through these yet?  Well, I suppose I have some quiet listening to do. I better get on it.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4

Trial and Error or Recon by Fire: An Option To Find The Will of God

So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. (Genesis 16:2 NASB)

In the Ancient Near East (ANE), surrogate motherhood was not an unheard of solution for barren women of wealth and status.  In that culture the woman acting as the surrogate gave birth sitting on the lap of the intended mother in the birthing chair.  The child was then "born into the lap" of the intended mother.  Not terribly comfortable for anyone.

So, in the case of Abram and Sarai, the option of surrogate motherhood seemed like a valid one.  After all, God had said the promised child through whom would come the descendants like the dust and stars would come through Abram.  He hadn't mentioned Sarai in His promise.  Given the length of time between discussions, it could easily be assumed, God was not waiting on them.  Typically, Abram and Sarai (particularly Sarai) get a bad reputation here, and it probably isn't deserved.  In fact, their search technique for finding the will and direction from God is actually fairly common.

Don't just stand there do something!  We say it, we think it about ourselves.  Our culture tells us that activity is better than passivity.  I have bought into it, and I'm not alone.  I'm told this axiom by my employer, by my friends, wife, family where I came from, and myself.  On the other hand, over a decade ago, a new version had become popular, "Don't just do something, stand there!"  It's not as popular as it used to be.

One of my weaknesses is procrastination.  It's a weakness I plan on working on one of these days.  I am an avoid-er of things I should do, I know it, and I beat myself up about it.  I feel shame about it.  I sense the failing, the fear, the empty courage.  But in coming out here to Nevada, I had to face the fear of acting according to everyone else.  I waited on the opportunities and direction of God, and moved to obey without waiting for resources to do so.  It was one of the most faithful processes I have ever had the joy of participating in.

So, I know that sometimes what my Master tells me is to wait.  Then, for me, waiting is an act of obedience.  And at times, He says to go or move or do, and to then to wait for more from Him is to disobey.  In Genesis 16, Abram has been waiting, but it doesn't say how long.  The word from God at first was lots of descendants.  Then it was expanded to be lots of descendants from Abram.  To this point, Abram has moved and been obedient to the vague direction of his God.  He has believed his God, and that belief has been credited to him as righteousness. 

One detail he was given was that his descendants innumerable would not possess the land until after 400 years of slavery.  In other words, after waiting a long time.  So, Abram knew that waiting was included in the promise.  But the child to come through him really couldn't wait all that long, at some point Abram would die.  So, while he had been waiting and knew that waiting was included in the "land" part of the promise, he also knew that there was a limit on how long he could wait for the "descendant" part of the promise.

In this passage, really the only clue we have that this option was wrong was the discussion between the Angel of the Lord and Hagar.  There we discover that Ishmael would be blessed (sort of) as well, but was not the child of the promise.  So, the option of a surrogate mother was not how God intended to fulfill His promise to Abram.  The practical conventionally wise solution under the circumstances was not the leading of God.  But it didn't bother God either.  In fact He wove the child of Hagar into His will and work all throughout the life of His chosen people. 

In this instance trial and error wasn't working for Abram and Sarai to find the path to the promise of God.  This would have been an "error".  That's an option I often choose to find the will of my Master.  I can always tell by the "error" result that it's not working.  And I'm not really sure when I don't fail that I've truly found His path.  I wonder if He is "permitting" something I've chosen to attempt, as in His blessing of Ishmael; not great, but useful for later.  I realize that not knowing the will of my Master is never comfortable.  Sometimes I need to wait for His direction and act.  Sometimes I need to act when He speaks while I'm still blind.  The key is listening for His voice.  Actually, no, the key is hearing His voice, and receiving the whole message.

So, wait or not to wait.  How do I know?  Do I attempt to discover His will by trying various things until something works?  In the military we called that "recon by fire" where we would direct fire into an area where we suspect the enemy might be hiding.  Sometimes we would hit them, but most of the time we didn't.  Either way, we didn't loose a soldier.  Is that the way my Master wants me to find His will?  It doesn't seem so from this passage.  Perhaps I should put away my "guns" and make myself comfortable in the gallery outside the Throne Room of the King of Kings; read a book, drink coffee, pace the floor, I know the drill.