November 24, 2023

Passage Read: Genesis 21-24
Meditation Verses: 21:12-14

Thought

Abraham doesn't want to give up Ishmael, but Ishmael is not the son of the promise, so God tells Abraham to send him away. God promises to take care of Ishmael and multiply him, but he must go. And Abraham, true to form, complies first thing the next morning. At that point, their relationship seems all but broken. Ishmael returns to bury Abraham with Isaac, but there is no further recorded communication between the two, though they live fairly near each other. Ishmael has every right to be bitter against Abraham, Sarah and even Isaac and God, and his descendants do not remain faithful to the Lord, but still Abraham lets him go.

Application

We don't have to hang on to people, especially if God says to let them go. If God wants to take care of and bless them, then He will do that. But if not, nothing I can do will change that anyway. If they feel bitter about the cut relationship, that is not my responsibility. I have no obligation to them and no responsibility to them. Though it pains me, they're in God's hands, to do with as He pleases.