June 25-Gen.21, sometimes what we yearn for happens, but we figure out a way to ruin paradise.Hagar and Ishmael brilliant that she is Egyptian and the tables will be turned in not too distant a future. A people who remembered being enslaved recall that they had slaves and of all people, an Egyptian. Ishmaelites can the circle of laughter expand? Laughter can have some different meanings-laugh at -laugh with-Sarah cannot bear the Ishmael can laugh or play, or even imitate her son. Hagar is sent out (lots of wordplay here ) see also Janzen-God hears the lad, as he name has the sense of God hearing.
This has to have some relevance in the chilling next story of the near sacrifice of Isaac..This is the second time Hagar is cast out, and the second time her eyes are opened to the precious presence of water in the wilderness. In the spacious generous love of God, Abraham will be the father of many, as well as having the special miracle child Isaac/laughter. Already the promise to Abraham in Gen. 12 is being played out.Is this a continuation of the sacrifice then of Isaac?
Polygamy cannot be easy-Lincoln book and Joseph smith-succession crisis
This is the second time she has been cast out; she wanders about.She weeps. and the second time she has a divine visitation.for Hagar and ishmael plenty of blessing to go around.Hagar cannot bear to hear her son’s pitiful cries, so she gets out of earshot but not out of sight.she had received the same promise as Abraham that her progeny would form a people, but now its chance lay dying of thirst.
Rom. 6, baptism ( water in Gen. as well) Sacramental eyes see the water as much more than the physical necessity it surely is. It is not only a ritual rebirth; it is a ritual death of the old self. It too has the water of spiritual life. To keep it here the promises made in baptism take a lifetime. No matter how we are treated r or how we treat others, god sees each one of us as of infinite worth. May w ehave eyes open to the water of life, just as hagar’s were opened to a well of water, just as she earlier spied a spring when first cast out. .god’s circle is wider than Sarah’s, wider than Hagar’s.
Mt. 10:24-39 Hagar ( may be related to flight) and Ishmael of of much value to god. Some of us have felt banished like Hagar. Some of us have been unwanted children. Most of us are the products of family squabbles that turn serious and long lasting. IN the midst of her anguish, God opens her eyes to what she needed, right in front of her.Sadly, most of us have been Sarah at a time, pushing someone out of our orbit.She lives out her name as a vengeful queen. Maybe she is trying to get back a a world h who blamed her for infertility. We may be Abraham going along with the energy of the resentful one and not putting up much opposition.We are taken aback when God’s long view coincides with Sarah’s view, or that God doesn't see it as decisive for the life of either Isaac or Ishmael. In the end, Ishmael reappears with Isaac to help bury their father Abraham.God works through some of the worst things human beings do and seeks some redemptive option within them.Some seemingly small matters can have enormous consequence. After all, both Arabs and j Israelis are children of Abraham, as President Carter reminded us..
No comments:
Post a Comment