How to Develop Real Wisdom

“Rejected but Not Forgotten” Genesis 16&21

Have you ever been impatient with God? Wanted Him to hurry up and fulfill His promises? Maybe even tried to help Him along by “making things happen?” if you have  know that nothing good comes from it. Classic example: Arab/Israeli conflict been going on for centuries; from 700 BC to the present day. Half brothers: Ishmael’s descendants (Arabs, 95% Muslim) and Isaac’s descendants (Jews) want to be in the same place at the same time. Nation of Israel’s 6 million Jews are surrounded by 1 billion Arabs who want the same piece of real estate. The Israeli’s are not about to surrender the land. The Arab nations surrounding Israel, along with the Palestinians within Israel are equally determined to take it. I. The Common Problem  back before Israel was a nation – Joseph sold into slavery – Moses & Promised Land. Started in Genesis with… A. God’s Promise Þ God’s covenant (promise) to Abram. Genesis 15:5-7 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness. 7He also said to him, “I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.” Waited expectantly 10 years in Canaan – no children, Sarai (78) - nothing happening… B. Our Impatience vs.16:1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; 2so she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. Hagar (surrogate mother). Just like us when we get impatient for God to act; take matters into our own hands… II. The Result Þ a raw deal: because of our impatience with God… A. People are Used vs.16:4He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. Hagar was a means to an end for Sarai. Hagar despised Sarai (catty) who blamed Abram (guys always get blamed). B. People are Abused 5Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me.” His response: 6“Your servant is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” “Don’t drag me into this… deal with it any way you want.” 2 Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. Hagar was abused Þ ran away. 7The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert… 9Then the angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10The angel added, “I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count.” 11The angel of the LORD also said to her: “You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. 12He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” Arabs. Hagar was obedient to the Lord and returned 16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael. For the next 13 years building tension & conflict in the home. Chapter 17 God reaffirmed his promise to Abram (99) 4“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. Changed name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of many) 15God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Sarah (princess). God reminded them of His promise. Situation finally comes to a head Chapter 21 Sarah (90) gets pregnant! Son, Isaac born – Abraham 100 years old. Tension & conflict in the home intensified with birth of Isaac. Because of their impatience with God’s timetable now… C. People are Rejected vs.21:8The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned 3 years old Abraham held a great feast. 9But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking… Ishmael (15) Sarah had enough: 10and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” Hagar and her son were rejected: 14Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba. Marriage & inheritance customs prohibited the expulsion of the children of the secondary wife by the primary wife Þ so Abraham sends them away. Hagar is given her freedom, which would mean that her children would forfeit any inheritance rights. Hagar got a “raw deal” Sarah & Abraham took matters into their own hands Þ innocent, obedient, submissive Hagar paid the price. Mistreated by 3 Sarah, unsupported by husband & negligent father Þ total rejection… while doing the right thing! Now let’s get personal. Ever gotten a raw deal? Remember how it feels? Hagar was left vulnerable, confused & uncertain. Rejected and powerless: 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob. Emotionally drained, depressed – poor self- image, feelings of worthlessness. Conflict between emotion & intellect Þ unworthy vs. anger, deserving better. Sat down to die Þ depressed. Weeping bitterly – felt wronged, unfairly used and terribly abused. There was no one to listen: isolated Þ loss of dignity, security Þ bitter and resentful. Gave up totally. Destroyed as a person Þ worthless. Have you ever felt abandoned… alone? …No one cares… not your fault. III. The Remedy Þ for these situations: 17God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Just remember that you are not forgotten… A. God Knows Your Name 17“What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. God reassures Hagar Þ heard boy crying, knew situation. Important to remember when alone and feel no one cares Þ He does – knows you, your family, your circumstances. It is a real comfort to know that someone understands. God asks: “What’s wrong?” difficult to talk sometimes – ask questions to allow to open up. God was listening and wanted her to pour her heart out to Him Þ get out her feelings and frustrations. Help begins when we honestly face our situation – accept our new reality. Nothing good happens when we keep our feelings bottled up. Go to a wise experienced mature Christian or counselor – help you to express your feelings. God will not forget you. Remember, in midst of your rejection… B. God has a New Direction Þ every ending means a new beginning 18Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” God reminded her of His promise  new direction. Stop focusing on the past. It doesn’t do any good to look back to Abraham’s tent. There is nothing to be gained by trying to “set the record straight.” She’d been hurt, nothing could be done to change what had happened. The sooner you get your heart out of the past  better off you will be. Questions like: “Why can’t something be done?” “Why do they prosper and I suffer?” “Why does he get the breaks when I was the one sinned against?” just keep the fires of resentment burning Þ consuming us with the past. Start focusing on God’s promises to you: Come to me, all you who are 4 weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. …never leave or forsake you… Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. …give you hope and a future. No matter where you are or why you’re there… C. God Provides for Our Needs 19Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God opened her eyes Þ well – was there all along Þ couldn’t see it – focus was on the past. Hagar needed a new heart Þ God provided and met needs – kept promise 20God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt. The resources of God are there for you too; better than empty or broken promises of the past. When we’ve been abused, rejected – whatever raw deal you’ve had in your life: you have a choice. You have to decide: will I keep looking back or start moving forward? Looking back  wanting satisfaction, dwelling on what should have been, could have been. Hagar put down her son and sat down to die. Stuck emotionally & spiritually. The other choice: moving forward  realizing God has a new direction – plans to bless us and others through us. How NLCC was formed.

No use in assigning blame. God will keep His promises – in His time – in just the right way. He knows your name – wants to bless.

God has a well of goodness for us if we stop wallowing in the past and look up – let Him heal. We may be rejected by others but we are never forgotten by God. He is always there to lead us in a new direction.