Through the Bible -Exodus 16-18, 1 Thessalonians 4
Good morning,
There is a lot of talk a lot of interest in the upcoming Academy Awards, the "Oscars" this week. Much of it centers around "The Kings Speech". I appreciate that the academy honors the best supporting actor and actresses. If you've seen the movie you'll understand how vital the supporting role was.
Many times going through the Bible, whether in sermons or in studies we focus on the main characters but miss out on so much by overlooking the supporting "characters", they are not actors, they were real people like you and me.
For today's verse we'll go back to Genesis 16 where we have an encounter between Hagar and the Angel of the Lord. It is the first time that he is mentioned in the Bible and he appears to one who is both a slave and a fugitive. It should remind us that God still has interest in such people today.
Genesis 16:13-14 (New Living Translation) Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, "You are the God who sees me." She also said, "Have I truly seen the One who sees me?" 14 So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means "well of the Living One who sees me"). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.
Hagar had fled from Abram and Sarai. God sees her, stops her in her tracks and asks her "where have you come from and where are you going?". He knew where she was and where she was heading, he asked her so that she would realize.
He then sent her back, to have her child, whose name "Ishmael" means "God hears."
Perhaps you are in a spot where you've felt mistreated and possibly at the end of the rope. Like Hagar, may you realize that God sees and God hears your cry right where you are. He knows where you've come from and where you are going.
He knows what you need and what you should avoid. He knows and will reveal the path you should take, and encourages, calls you to walk in it.
She returned to Sarai and Abram and Abram believed her testimony and named the son Ishmael.
J. M. Boice writes, "the one who has seen God will have little trouble convincing other believers of this reality. There is no escaping the one who has been sought out, seen and changed forever by the God of Calvary."
Maybe you don't feel like a main character, but you may just be one of the best "supporting actors". Live like you are one who knows the ever Living One.
Blessings,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.netmikesvotd.blogspot.com
Genesis 16:6- 16 (NLT) Abram replied, "Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit." Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.
7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. 8 The angel said to her, "Hagar, Sarai's servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?"
"I'm running away from my mistress, Sarai," she replied.
9 The angel of the Lord said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority." 10 Then he added, "I will give you more descendants than you can count."
11 And the angel also said, "You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means 'God hears'), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. 12 This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives."
13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, "You are the God who sees me." She also said, "Have I truly seen the One who sees me?" 14 So that well was named Beer-lahai-roi (which means "well of the Living One who sees me"). It can still be found between Kadesh and Bered.
15 So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born.
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