Here is the story in Genesis Chapters 16 and Chapter 21 about Hagar and Ishmael that I promised in part 1. I preached a sermon many years back called “God has given you a baby”. It’s about the story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar.
If you remember, Sarah could not bare a child, so she sends her handmaiden into Abraham. Abraham being a powerful man of God says to himself “this must be a Word from the Lord” and goes about the business of fathering a child. Sure enough, Hagar has a son named Ishmael.
Well, the cat fight ensues and Sarah tells Abraham to get rid of that hussy Hagar, because she’s getting too much attention (this is Mark James Version). Besides, I’m your wife not her. Did you ever notice how easy it is to get rid of things that you have no investment in? Abraham was invested in Hagar and Ishmael. However, he sends them out with bread and water into the wilderness.
Now here’s the part I’m talking about. When the provision runs out, Hagar decides to put the child under one of the bushes (hide him) and run from the baby God had given her. Scripture says she went a long ways away so she wouldn’t have to see the child die. The story goes on to say that Hagar lifted up her voice and wept, but God didn’t hear her. The scripture says that God heard the lad.
What’s the point? God has given you gifts and callings suitable to perform certain tasks or jobs. God has given you a baby. When things get tough, don’t quit what God has called you to do and run to another ministry complaining. God will only hear that uncompleted job crying out to be accomplished.
God is interested in you taking care of the baby He gave you to take care of, not someone else’s. Don’t throw away the gifting God has given you due to circumstances. If you’re busy trying to fix everyone else’s failures, then you won’t tend to your own baby.
God has specific tasking that you are perfectly positioned to complete. Quit trying to be like someone else and be yourself. Besides, if there are two of us that are exactly alike, then one of us is not necessary. You’ve heard it said before, God does not call the equipped, He equips the called. It’s His ability working through you (Phil 2:13).
Although this is short, it is definitive of how great the grace of God is. Grace and Peace
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