day 8: brave in the wilderness
Right now I am angry. More angry than I would ever like to admit. Angry with my husband, angry with my kids. I feel like a 5' 4" atomic explosion waiting to happen.
I feel like I can relate to Hagar so much right this moment. Hagar did not have a good relationship with Sarah. They were constantly fighting and Sarah continually put Hagar in terrible (life-threatening!) positions and Hagar did not have a good or godly attitude about any of this. I'm floored to see the way God moves over and over to bless Hagar.
Read: Genesis 16:1-11
Can you even believe
this mess? Sarah is mad at Abram for her plan working. I guess she
thought her servant would have a better attitude about it all?
About how many years
had Abram & Sarai been waiting on children? (v3)
How old is Abram when
Ishmael is born? (v16)
Why is Hagar in the wilderness? (v6)
Can we just pause here for a second to be marvel in thankfulness that God is so faithful to His people that even when they walk themselves right on out into the wilderness with their bad attitude or foolish or sinful actions, He does not abandon them to their foolishness?!! I have felt myself driven into the wilderness before by the way other have sinned against me, but I've also foolishly taken my own self right out into the wilderness and God has met me there and been gracious to me.
Why is Hagar in the wilderness? (v6)
What does the angel of the LORD tell her to do? (v9)
What does the angel say her son will be named? (v11)
Why is this his name? What does his name mean?
Can we just pause here for a second to be marvel in thankfulness that God is so faithful to His people that even when they walk themselves right on out into the wilderness with their bad attitude or foolish or sinful actions, He does not abandon them to their foolishness?!! I have felt myself driven into the wilderness before by the way other have sinned against me, but I've also foolishly taken my own self right out into the wilderness and God has met me there and been gracious to me.
Have you had to wait
a long time for something?
Are you still waiting
on some of God's plan for the life?
What does it mean to
you that God hears you?
Can you relate to
feeling like your are in the wilderness?
Are you there currently? Have you been there recently? What is/was this like?
Are you there currently? Have you been there recently? What is/was this like?
How did you get here?
How does it feel?
What are you afraid of?
What is the truth?
What
words would you use to describe being in the wilderness?
Here
are some words I would use:
Isolated
Vulnerable
Lack of direction and focus
Despairing, distracted,
Lack
Isolated
Vulnerable
Lack of direction and focus
Despairing, distracted,
Lack
In
Christ - Exceedingly, abundantly, above what we would even ask or think of or
even imagine for ourselves.
Read: Psalm 84
Here are a few verses:
What joy for those whose strength comes from the lord,
who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,
it will become a place of refreshing springs.
The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.
They will continue to grow stronger,
and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.
Psalm 84
Additional extra
verses:
Psalm 17:6-8, 57:1-3,
61:1-4, 66:19, 91:14-16, Genesis 30:17, 22, 1 Kings 17:22, 2 Kings 13:4
Pray back these words or journal them or write them in your own words as a prayer back to God.
Pray back these words or journal them or write them in your own words as a prayer back to God.
I have definitely been in the wilderness recently, and I feel your frustration, pain. Grateful for His never-ending grace to each of us His children-- and thank you for the beautiful reminder here.~
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