September 24, 2026

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“The child grew and was weaned. On the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking them and said to Abraham, ‘Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.’” (Genesis 21.8-10)

REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Remember when Sarah heard God as He stood on the other side of the veil, “This time next year, I will return and Sarah will give you a son.”? Her response was laughter. However, there were other times when Sarah saw things as no laughing matter. In scripture, those times had to do with Hagar and the promise which God covenanted with Abraham. She arranged for Abraham to consensually “sleep” with Hagar her handmaiden for the purpose of conceiving a child in order to meet God’s planned legacy for him. And so it did. And Sarah was not pleased when it happened the very first opportunity taken and given. Sarah was not pleased when she believed Hagar was mocking her either behind her back or openly because she bore Abraham a son and Sarah could bear nothing. For that, Sarah commanded Abraham to send Hagar away. What is less focused upon is the lack of faith Sarah had in God’s word, plan and promise. She took things into her own hand as if she herself was commanded by God to do so. Now, when Ishmael is fourteen or fifteen or sixteen, having been circumcised and brought under the righteousness of God, Isaac is weaned and his life is celebrated. He, too, had been circumcised and brought under the covenant as God had established. Did Ishmael forget what God had promised Abraham as is the promise was his for the taking? He, as his mother previously, mocked the reality of life before him. Sarah saw it and heard it. She took matters into her own hand instead of allowing Abraham to take care of it and correct Ishmael with fatherly guidance and spiritual truth. Jealousy is a vile spirit.

Again, for Sarah, this was no laughing matter. She commanded Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away again. She declared, “That boy will have no share in the inheritance with MY son.” While the motherly connection is great and in light of the most unusual circumstance of Isaac’s birth would invoke great “ownership” of Isaac, she had forgotten herself. The inheritance of which she spoke was that given by God at His command. The promise was clearly made known… unless Abraham did not do so. Had Abraham failed to make it clear that the word of God had been spoken? Isaac was conceived as the true heir of Abraham and his legacy. It was not that Ishmael was disowned or disavowed. It was a matter of truth and promise between God and Abraham. Sarah was thus “speaking the obvious.” But it seems for a far different purpose. She again stood in the place of God in commanding Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael to act to support her truth and her truth only. She was not speaking for God and in such a righteous moment of Isaac’s consecration and celebration, the failure to understand and promote the truth was clearly obvious.

Mighty ones of God, the same is for us as followers of Christ and children with Him of the Most High God. We fight a battle that is not needed. We defend a truth as if it were not known. If it is not known, the onus is on us as bearers of the Word that was born in us as “spirit and truth.” It is not a matter of which “mountain” we worship on or which hill we may die on. It is a matter of the gospel given to us by faith in God alone. How are we celebrating the consecration of such life and living in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior? Are we throwing people out into the world because they mock the faith we have and are called to share? Are we making ourselves self-righteous and obtrusive losing our identity as those called to “love others and one another”? God will deal justly with all of us according to our faithful alignment to our call to be disciples of Christ and to serve Him only. Beware, mighty ones of God, of the words and actions we use to defend the faith in Jesus as the Christ. We are called to “judge not lest we be judged.” Instead, let us teach as Christ taught all that is vital and necessary to live in the Kingdom of God on earth as we will in Heaven. We are not defining life in Heaven with our decisions on earth. We must seek out the truth of life in Heaven and implement it on earth. We do so by following the example of Christ who does not condemn on earth but invites us all to join with Him in Heaven. Know your place, mighty ones of God.

TODAYS’ PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness endeavor, but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.