GOD WILL PROVIDE: Devotional *

                                                      Genesis 21:1-7

                                  (Read Passage of Scripture)

God was faithful in his promise to Abraham and Sarah.  The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised.  She became pregnant and gave birth to a son … This happened at just the time God said it would, (Genesis 21:1).  Who would believe that Abraham at the age of 100 and Sarah long beyond her child bearing years would have a son.  Abraham named their son Isaac … Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God commanded, (vs. 3-4).  This fulfilled what God had promised Abram (Genesis 18:1-21). (This passage gives us insight into God’s patience:  The sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction, (vs. 16).  It was stating that Abram’s descendants would not live in the land, promised him, for 400 years.  The circumcision carried on God’s covenant to Isaac made to Abram in Ur, on the Euphrates River, in today’s Iraq.    All the families on earth will be blessed through you, (Genesis 12:1) 
Isaac means he laughs.  Sarah declared:  God has brought me laughter.  All who hear about this will laugh with me … Who would have said … Sarah would nurse a baby?  (Genesis 21:1-7}  As we will see in the next blog, not everyone laughed and rejoiced at the news.  Some of you may have experienced heartbreak when your desire for a child was not fulfilled, whether difficulty in getting pregnant or loss of an infant/child through death.  You may have rejoiced with the birth of your child only to learn she or he had physical or mental issues.  You don’t love the child any less.         Yet, the initial pain is severe.  Those pains are augmented when you learn of another having a healthy baby, with no difficulty.

During these studies we will learn God is faithful, patient and merciful even though at the time of our pain it seems impossible to comprehend.  Hopefully we will learn, that the way of bringing peace into a troubled heart is focusing on God’s promises and trusting God to do what God says.    

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QUESTION:
Do you have a personal dream you would like to see fulfilled?  Do you believe God can still do the impossible today?  Will you trust God to lead in fulfilling the dream or handling a problem you face?

PRAYER:                                                                                                                                                             Pray in gratitude to God for fulfilled promises.  Pray for promises for an understanding of promises not fulfilled.  Pray for faith and courage to trust God daily even we are not sure of the future.

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* Written for Glenkirk Church, Glendora, California:  Weekly Devotional On Salvador Dali's Painting:  "Abraham!  Abraham!"