Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"
And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"(Genesis 17:17-18)Study the life of Abraham and you will quickly find that Ishmael came as a result of Abraham's attempt to fulfill God's plan his own way. Ever done that before? It's easy to do.
God had told Abraham many years earlier that he would have a son with Sarah and that he (Isaac) would be the child of the promise. Isaac would be the channel of blessing and further God's plan on the earth. But Abraham couldn't wait. Along came Ishmael...and then...if it wasn't enough...he asked God to "bless" Ishmael!
Do you see the imagery here? Have you ever asked God to "bless" your Ishmael?
We are like Abraham when we pray for God to bless our finances while continuing to purchase things that we can't afford. We are like Abraham when we ask God to bless the plans we've formulated apart from Him. We are like Abraham when we ask God to bless our marriages while treating our spouse in ungodly ways. We are like Abraham when we ask God to bless ministries that may be good ideas, but were never birthed of the Spirit.
I think the most amazing part of this scripture (keep reading...) is that God didn't give up on Abraham or His plan. Abraham clearly screwed up; however, God waited until he had accomplished what he wanted in Abraham...and then came Isaac.
If there is anything to remember about this part of Abraham's life, it's this:
God's promises are the channels of His blessing in our life. Let's not try to fulfill them on our own. And for those of us who have brought Ishmael's into our lives and even have had the audacity to ask God to bless them, remember that God's mercy and forgiveness overflows to those who seek it. Just as Isaac was given to Abraham, so God will fulfill His promises to you and me!
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