Hope
I'm going through a year-long devotion entitled "Women of the Bible." Each week, it focuses on a different woman in the Bible, whether she had a positive or negative influence. This week I've been reading about Hagar.
Here's some background info: Abraham and Sarah are married. They want kids, but seem to be infertile. So, in an act of desperation, Sarah tells Abe to sleep with Hagar. He does and she has a baby, Ishmael. Eventually Sarah has a son Isaac, and one day Hagar's son makes fun of Sarah's son, so Sarah kicks them out.
Not only does Hagar lose her home, she loses her job. Now she's officially out on her own with no where to go, no husband, no food, no shelter. She only has Ishmael. I'm sure Hagar was feeling pretty desperate, scared, and hopeless.
One of the study questions was whether I or someone I know is feeling hopeless. Then it says to reread Genesis 21:18, which says: "Then God opened Hagar's eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink."
Originally, I would have just glazed over that verse. But the devotion made me stop and read it a few times. That verse is full of hope for the hopeless. Hagar and her son were on the brink of starvation/dehydration, yet God showed her hope.
BUT (and this one's a big but), that verse has two parts to it. In the first sentence, God showed Hagar hope. BUT in the second sentence, she did something about it. God did not show up by just putting a cup of water in her hand. It wasn't that easy. She had to be looking to see the well of water, then make the effort to get a cupful of it.
See where I'm going? God will show us hope in times of desperation, but if we are not looking or are not willing to take action ourselves, we may miss the hope he gives. Even as I'm writing this post, I'm seeing more and more how applicable and how much this verse really has in it.
For example, there are solutions to alcoholism. People CAN get out of it by going to AA meetings, having accountability partners, therapy for underlying problems, etc. Sure, it's hard and painful to stop, but there is hope. In every situation you can imagine.
Hope is there. Just be willing to open your eyes and do something about it (which is harder said than done).
Here's some background info: Abraham and Sarah are married. They want kids, but seem to be infertile. So, in an act of desperation, Sarah tells Abe to sleep with Hagar. He does and she has a baby, Ishmael. Eventually Sarah has a son Isaac, and one day Hagar's son makes fun of Sarah's son, so Sarah kicks them out.
Not only does Hagar lose her home, she loses her job. Now she's officially out on her own with no where to go, no husband, no food, no shelter. She only has Ishmael. I'm sure Hagar was feeling pretty desperate, scared, and hopeless.
One of the study questions was whether I or someone I know is feeling hopeless. Then it says to reread Genesis 21:18, which says: "Then God opened Hagar's eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink."
Originally, I would have just glazed over that verse. But the devotion made me stop and read it a few times. That verse is full of hope for the hopeless. Hagar and her son were on the brink of starvation/dehydration, yet God showed her hope.
BUT (and this one's a big but), that verse has two parts to it. In the first sentence, God showed Hagar hope. BUT in the second sentence, she did something about it. God did not show up by just putting a cup of water in her hand. It wasn't that easy. She had to be looking to see the well of water, then make the effort to get a cupful of it.
See where I'm going? God will show us hope in times of desperation, but if we are not looking or are not willing to take action ourselves, we may miss the hope he gives. Even as I'm writing this post, I'm seeing more and more how applicable and how much this verse really has in it.
For example, there are solutions to alcoholism. People CAN get out of it by going to AA meetings, having accountability partners, therapy for underlying problems, etc. Sure, it's hard and painful to stop, but there is hope. In every situation you can imagine.
Hope is there. Just be willing to open your eyes and do something about it (which is harder said than done).
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