In the Wilderness

In the book of Genesis, we find the story of Abraham and Sarah. Sarah not being able to conceive a child had Abraham conceive one with her handmaid Hagar. Once Sarah saw that Hagar conceived, Sarah started to despise Hagar and she fled.

(Genesis 16:6-14) “But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. {7} ¶ And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. {8} And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. {9} And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. {10} And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. {11} And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. {12} And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. {13} And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? {14} Wherefore the well was called Beer–lahai–roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.”

God also told Abraham in Genesis Ch. 17, verse 20, that He would bless Ishmael –  “And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.”

Sarah and Abraham conceived Isaac.

(Genesis 21:9-11)  And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. {10} Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. {11} And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

(Genesis 21:14-21)  And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer–sheba. {15} And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. {16} And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

In the wilderness, Hagar forgot what the angel of the LORD told her previously about multiplying her seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. There she was in the wilderness weeping in fear of her son dying. As Christians, we look at our circumstance and let it override what God has spoken to us. When we are in the wilderness we have to hold on to the promises of God no matter what we don’t see.

{17} And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. {18} Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. {19} And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. {20} And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. {21} And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

God’s promises always come to pass.

(Genesis 25:12-16) ” Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham: {13} And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, {14} And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, {15} Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: {16} These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.”

All Scriptures are KJV only.

Related Scripture:

Isaiah 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Back Seat Driver

Are you a back seat driver? You know someone that tries to instruct the actual driver who is driving how to drive. The usual instructions likely being; “Can you drive a little faster, can you slow down, turn here so we can get there faster, watch the road, and etc.” I do understand that being in the back seat can be uncomfortable and the view from the back isn’t as clear as the drivers. When I thought about it I can honestly say I’m not a back seat driver, but then I had to think a little deeper.

As Christians we know that the LORD is our shepherd (Psalms 23:1) which would indicate that we follow Him, He’s in the front and we’re in the back. The journey along the way at times are uncomfortable and can be very confusing to us, so then we want the LORD to move a little faster, or to slow down out of fear. We are looking for things and promises along the way, but they are nowhere in sight. Which may cause us to start to question if we are going in the right direction since our view isn’t as clear as His.

In Exodus Chapter 13, verse 21 the LORD led His people to safety; And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.  Isaiah Chapter 42, verse 16 states; And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. Jesus is the good shepherd and He will never lead us astray, He knows exactly what He is doing. Keep following, keep trusting, and keep hoping no matter what it looks like. Psalms 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

All Scriptures are KJV only.

Related Scriptures:

Proverbs 5:21  For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

Psalms 139:10  Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Psalms 23:1-4  “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. {2} He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. {3} He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. {4} Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

John 10:11  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Psalms 32:8  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Romans 8:25  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Habakkuk 2:3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Job 28:23-24  “God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. {24} For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven;”

Shoelaces

Remember when you were a little kid and you didn’t know how to tie your shoelaces? Your mom or dad would have to tie them for you because if not you would run off and eventually trip and fall possibly hurting yourself. As time passed you started to learn to tie them on your own, but you noticed the shoelaces never looked the same as when your parents tied them. They were always neat and even, but yours was messy and uneven and sometimes came right apart.

In life there are shoelaces and we can call them the shoelaces of life. We have tried over and over to tie them perfectly, but can’t quite do it. We end up trying to walk or run and yes we may be able to manage not stumbling for awhile, but eventually we fall. It is the same as when we were a little kid we still need help tying our shoelaces, but this time the only one that can tie them perfectly is Jesus.

Let Him tie your shoelaces of life He promises He will not let you fall.

(Psalms 55:22) “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

(Psalms 29:11) “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”

(Isaiah 41:10) “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

All scriptures are KJV only.