Birthday Party

Dear Family,

I realize that this is my second post, in one week, well on the same day really. But that is intentional. The first post wasn't connected to our journey through Genesis, but it dealt with some thoughts and feelings i have had for a while, so i wanted to share those thoughts with all of you. This post, now, is for Genesis 21, our chapter for Sunday.

It is a glorious chapter, but it is also a sad one. We read about the joys of childbirth, and Sarah finally gets to laugh. Whether she is laughing at the irrationality of having Isaac at her age, or if she is laughing with joy at having an heir, or if she is laughing at the mockers who must have reminded her, daily, that she had failed to provide an heir for Abraham. Whatever the cause, and perhaps it all of these and more, Sarah finally gets to laugh. More than that, she gets the last laugh.

But with the birth of Isaac, Ishmael quickly finds himself on the margins. Abraham has an heir, a son, who will inherit Abraham's household. Ishmael is no longer needed. Sadly, as Sarah illustrates with her demands that Ishmael and Hagar be dismissed from the household, it's not that he is no longer needed. He, and his mother, are no longer wanted. They are forced to leave, again, and fend for themselves, or so they thought. And here, as Abe struggles with forcing them to leave, we can get the sense of Abe's fatherly love for Ishmael.

Abe doesn't seem to want to make them leave, but Sarah pushed and God made sure Abe knew it would be ok. God promised Abe that even though Ishmael wasn't in the household, anymore, the blessing, the promise of a nation was still on Ishmael. God would make Ishmael a powerful nation, one that would earn respect. Though Abe was booting them, God was not.

There is something profoundly Divine about this reality. Often times i get the sense that we want to kick people out who don't believe like we do, think like we do, live like we do, or share our faith. So in response to our differences, we shut doors on them. In some severe cases, i know of churches and church leaders who have condemned those who were different. But if we can gain anything from Hagar and Ishmael's experience, it is this. God will bless who God wants to bless, regardless of our limited, human understanding. More than that, God's love, God's mercy, God's kindness, and God's wisdom stretches to those beyond our margins of faith. And i sense that is a good thing. NO. It is a God thing.

So Ishmael does almost die in the desert, but God rescues him and Hagar. God makes this outcast, this 'mistake' into a powerful nation. God keeps His promise to Abe to bless all of Abe's offspring, even those outside the Hebrew "household." But the chapter doesn't end there. Does it? Sure we don't hear much of Ishmael or his mother, but we beleive he is the father of the Muslim religion. Other than that, he all but disappears into the realm of stories told but quickly passed over for the chosen son: Isaac.

And yet our chapter has another significant event, doesn't it? Yes the birth of Isaach happens, praise God. Yes Ishmael and Hagar get booted, and Ishmael becomes a powerful nation, to God's glory, but something else occurs. Abe finds himself at odds with Abimelech. Over what? Water. The most precious commodity in the desert, and Abe feels like Abimelech stole a well and water from Abe. Abe was furious. He had a right to be.

Without water how would Abe care for his family, his flock, his future? He wouldn't. So Abe goes to Abimelech, instead of complaining about him, Abe goes to him to deal with this situation. They talk, like adults, and they realize they can work this out. But here's the kicker. Abe gives up seven ewes to reconcile with Abimelech. What does this tell us about reconciling with our sisters and brothers? For me, at least, it demonstrates to what extent we should go to in order to restore the relationship. Even if it means i have to give up something meaningful to me, i should be willing to do so, in order to honor the relationship.

I wonder, family, what would happen to our relationships if we approached them, like Abe, willing to do whatever it took to restore that relationship? I wonder what trust we would build, with each other, if we went to each other and were that honest, instead of backstabbing or gossipping. And i wonder how God would be glorified by our authentic desires to have healthy, life giving companionship/community, so much so that we give what we can to make sure the community is cared for. I wonder what could be. What about you? Amen...

Shalom,
jerry