“Do not be distressed because of the boy..”
This morning, I read through the troubling stories of Abraham sending Hagar and Ishmael away, and then bringing Isaac up to be sacrificed. In current days, with all the strife in the world, these are troubling stories.
We have modern day examples of people treating other people horribly, modern day genocide, political oppression, hatred and prejudice. If we look at Abraham’s story today, he sent Hagar away because his wife Sarah told him to. Sarah was jealous and afraid, and she asked Abraham to send them into the wilderness, where death would be likely. Abraham didn’t want to “because of his child”, not apparently, because of the mother of his child. And Sarah had originally hatched this plan for Abraham – it was her idea, and now she was sentencing them to death.
God spoke to Abraham and told him to do what Sarah said. He didn’t tell Abraham that he would take care of Hagar and Ishmael, but rather that he should be obedient to Sarah’s wishes. Um, ok. So he sends them out. Hagar and Ishmael have exhausted their water, and she puts Ishmael under a bush away from her, so she doesn’t have to watch him die. As a mother, I cannot imagine how devastating that would have been – to get to the place where that choice was even considered, and then making that choice.
But God provided for Hagar, and made many nations from Ishmael. Things didn’t turn out so bad for them, after all. But the goodness that came from God followed and was initiated by some horrible behavior on the part of Sarah and Abraham.
And then we have the horrific story of Abraham and Isaac. Making Isaac carry the twigs that will be used to sacrifice Isaac. And when no animal is revealed, Abraham binds Isaac and places him on the sacrificial altar and pile of twigs to kill him. Because God told him to.
At the end of this story, all works out well, as a ram is discovered and sacrificed and Isaac is spared. I can only imagine a strained relationship between Isaac and Abraham after that, though.
So we have two instances of ick, where things worked out, and God was involved. Sarah’s bad behavior, Abraham’s complicity in Sarah’s bad behavior, and Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice the only son he has left.
This morning, I’m thinking about how we humans create great strife and heartache, either on our own or because we believe God told us to. How is that possible? How is that right? How does that relate to all of the horrible things humans have done to each other recently, and God’s role in that? Is there a greater God purpose for police shootings? For permissive taking of human life, either before birth or after a lengthy prison sentence? For illness and addiction?
I definitely don’t want to suggest that God has a purpose. Or that everything happens for a reason. Sometimes, I think bad things happen because we mortals have fear, and seek power, and our own glory, and I don’t think that’s of God. But I do believe God can renew, restore and resurrect our crappy actions, just as God saved Hagar and Ishmael, despite Sarah and Abraham’s behavior.
And what about people who act badly because God told them to. Abraham and Isaac? Or what about all of the horrid things happening in the name of God, like this mounting Christian nationalism? Do I believe God is telling them to do these hateful things in God’s name? I’d love to flat-out deny God’s hand in anything like that, but we hear that God told Abraham to tie up his son. So I don’t know. I don’t know what God is speaking to others, carrying out things in God’s name.
But in the end, I believe in a God who restores and resurrects things that I had long written off. These stories of Abraham and God leave me more certain than ever that I do not understand God’s ways, with one exception. Whatever we do in our own name, or in God’s name, God will redeem, restore and resurrect.
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