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Verse:For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. —Genesis 21:2, NKJV
God’s promise was fulfilled. Sarah found herself pregnant! She’d laughed when she heard that God would provide such a son when she was far past childbearing—but He did. Now she knew a reason for joyous laughter.
After Isaac’s birth, jealousy festered between Sarah and Hagar over their sons fathered by the same man, Abraham. Sarah regretted her former impatience and complained to Abraham. But he left the decision to her. “She’s your slave girl,” he said, so Sarah decided to send Hagar and Ishmael out to live in the desert.
Though Abraham ached over Sarah’s decision, he sent them off with provisions. And God came to Hagar, again, and promised that He would make Ishmael a great nation, just as He promised Abraham about Isaac.
Indeed, the footprints of both Isaac and Ishmael have been left in this world. Powerful nations have arisen through their progeny; although brothers, the history of their descendants often depicts contempt and war.
If only Sarah had accepted her mistake and Hagar accepted her lot. Each wanted her son to be first in Abraham’s heart and be the child of promise.
Yes, I still feel for Hagar. History was impacted because she was a slave without rights. Most of us will never know what it’s like to be a slave, but fortunately, we have this story to give us guidance on patience and waiting upon God’s timing, making the right choices, and accepting the role of mutual servitude.
Of course, God doesn’t want us to be slaves in the sense that the children of Israel were in Egypt, but service to others is an important matter.
Happily, as Christians, we possess the right to choose to serve. After all, Jesus’ own words in the Scriptures reveal that He came to this earth as a servant. Matthew 20:27, 28 reads, “And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave —just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (NKJV). All that Jesus asks is our servanthood.
He’s our role model, and we can serve Him.
Let our question of the Lord be, “Who can I serve today and in what capacity?”
Betty Kossick