Genesis 21:5,8-20
The Bible seems like such a troubling book. The Book of Genesis alone has so many issues, from the scientific down to amoral behavior of all sorts. It is no wonder that people are sometimes discouraged from reading scripture lest they become confused. But read we must with a keen eye and at least a minimum of training to understand context, interpretation and faith. If we do not read the love story of God and His people we will miss a magnificent testament that these books are.
In today's reading we catch a glimpse of some astonishing information that is often overlooked or not even picked up on. We have the story of Hagar the slave woman and her son with Abraham. Sarah with her own child now wants this woman and her son to be banished and banished they are. But not before we read that God will make a nation of Hagar's son as well. Do you know what 'nation' that is? Perhaps little known is the fact that Abraham spawned two of the world's great religions. From Abraham and Isaac came Judaism. From Hagar's son came Islam. Yes, Islam. Both are from Abraham.
This alone would be a reason to make inquiry into the basis and tenets of Islam which is not a violent religion in and of itself. At least, not any more than Christianity, though we have seen throughout history where that has gone. Listening, learning, understanding are all key to peace and love.
We can perhaps see why there seems to be such enmity at times between these religions and their peoples. Disagreements and misunderstandings among families are probably the deepest rifts and hardest problems to overcome. The problems in the middle east are in essence family squabbles that date back millennia. If we are to survive as humans and grow in love as children of the same God, we must listen, try to understand and love each other. Does God love one civilization or people more than another? Does not God love 'them' at least as much as he loves 'us'?
It is high time we focus on our roots together and that God is a God of love. That is, if we are to survive together.
Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. So she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.’ The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. But God said to Abraham, ‘Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named after you. As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.’ So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, ‘Do not let me look on the death of the child.’ And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.’ Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow.
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