And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
Genesis 21:17
Dear Church and Friends
It’s always darkest right before dawn. That, according to common wisdom and human experience. Hagar learns that lesson as everything seems lost. She’s been disciplined by Sarah, sent out of Abraham’s camp by the patriarch himself, wandered in the desert, ran out of water, and her son was dying.
It doesn’t get any worse than this. But then the boy prayed. He must have learned that lesson in the house of his father. He prays for life, not his mother. She was too hurt to pray for something she couldn’t believe would happen.
She prayed for her own comfort, “Let me not see the death of the child.” Hagar had already decided the outcome of this journey. Sometimes our own experience with life can rob us of the miracle of a believing prayer.
He see us wandering in this wilderness of uncertainty. Let’s not decide the outcome and pray a meaningless prayer. Ishmael’s prayer should remind us that the Lord waits to hear us cry out to him for salvation.
Music: Take Your Shoes Off Moses by Courtney Patton.
Prayer Request: Please pray for missionaries in the jungle of Columbia. The Nu of Colombia.
- (noo) – The Nu people have made the decision to go deeper into the jungle where the local missionaries will not be able to have contact with them. Pray that their faith will remain strong. Pray that this will be an opportunity for them to take the gospel to other Nu villages deeper in the jungle that have yet to hear and to respond to the gospel story.
The Pastor’s Letter is coming to an end. The last one will be published on September 28, 2021.
Watch the Bible Bistro blog for an announcement on a new project for Fall of 2021.
Question 60: Was the Gospel then preached in Paradise?
Answer: No doubt, and also the law.
Question 61: What need was there for them both?
Answer: By the Law they were accused and humbled, and through the Gospel comforted and delivered.
Question 62: What then were the Law and the Gospel?
Answer: Instruments of God’s Spirit for the salvation of man.
“But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?”
All my best.
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 21:18
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