My Brother Ishmael

Greetings in the Lord!

Today's word comes from Genesis 16:9-12 and Genesis 21:14-20~


And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" 
"I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.
Then the angel of the Lord told Hagar, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count." The angel of the Lord also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."



Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down nearby...for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."....God was with the boy as he grew up.



~The name Ishmael means "God Hears." Neither of these two cried out to the Lord, but rather the Lord had heard them in their distress and sent an angel to guide and encourage them. God hears before we even call out to Him. It is ironic really, that God would be so merciful to both Hagar and Ishmael. I mean, after all, part of Ishmael's prophetic word said he would be a "wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand will be against him..." and Hagar was told to submit to Sarai, and both were allowed to be sent into the desert to fend for themselves. That doesn't sound very pleasant or much like a blessing. And yet, the Lord "heard" Ishmael and Hagar in their distress and answered them.



As I was pondering about the connection between the "God Hears" meaning of Ishmael's name, and about the fact that Ishmael will live in "hostility" with everyone, the Holy Spirit put on my heart, "Yes--God Hears...kind of like the stereotypical loud neighbors that everyone hears screaming and fighting all the time." God hears them, and people's reactions/actions to their fighting. Hmm.....


Islam claims to trace its roots back to Ishmael, and true to the prophetic word, still lives "in hostility toward all their brothers." (Genesis 25:18b) And still, God Hears. Make no mistake about it, their "hostility toward all their brothers" serves a purpose, His purpose. Do you know how frustrating it is to talk with someone who is convinced the sky is green and not blue? And yet, God Hears.  God weighs the heart--He knows that sometimes to get people out of the middle, out of their lukewarm, complacent, apathetic state, all you have to do is turn up the heat.  Enter "hostility," stage left!



A new season is upon us; this season of dealing with "Ishmael" in our own nation. I tell you this day, learn to guard your hearts--for out of it flows the issues of life.  Do you want to know how you really are in your heart? Try to be neighbors with "hostility." You cannot compromise with "hostility." You cannot dismiss "hostility." You cannot hate "hostility." You cannot console "hostility." You cannot think you deserve better than "hostility." You must speak the Truth to "hostility" and hold your ground---to live as Jesus called us to live.


Surely you understand that the Lord has been watching over Ishmael and God Hears? Yes, "hostility" has been sent to us to purify us; to divide those of us who will be faithful to God's Word, and those of us who will join "hostility." Like it or not, Ishmael was Abraham's son, too. "Hostility" will never go away....and God will always hear.



~Be blessed and be a blessing.

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