OT DAY 67 - We Throw away Relationships, God Builds Relationships (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Today's Reading: Genesis 21:15-32

** If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from my Devotion on Fire blog:

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Please click this link to read Genesis 21:15-32

English(ESV): https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis 21&version=ESV

Chinese: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=創 世 記 21&version=CUV

Bible Study

      Today's passage gives us lots of uncomfortable feeling because we don't understand how Abraham could do that, to desert Hagar and his own son Ishmael and to let them die in the desert? That's impossible! And, that is Abraham, Father of all Nations! What can we learn from this kind of tragedy?   

Let's take a look at what Professor John Goldingay says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Goldingay) :

    

     So the story of Hagar and Ishmael gets its fresh start.  God is with Ishmael.  He is the first person about whom that is said; it will recur as a promise for Isaac (Genesis 26:24), but it is first said of the boy who does not count in terms of the great purpose that God is set on accomplishing.  You do not have to be Isaac (or Jewish) to have God with you, turning you into a great nation.  You can be Ishmael (or Arab). 

John Goldingay. Genesis for Everyone - Part Two. Louisville,KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010, p.41.

      I have been thinking a lot when I read today's passage. What have you got from Jesus today?   

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe":  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

    The title I heard from Jesus today is: We throw away relationships, God builds relationships

    What Jesus tells me today is the key to connect and build. It is really very sad to learn that Abraham could do things like that. For what reason? Why? And, for political reasons, Abraham built relationship with Abimelech. What a contrast! What a hypocrite! And, that's Abraham! Poor human beings! Why?

    The only reason is that we as human beings are so selfish and so self-centre. We can build relationship so easily and can throw away relationships also easily! But, the relationship Abraham threw away today is not ordinary relationship. He made that mess of not trusting God. He did not want to mend that brokenness but just threw it away.

    One of the most hurting experiences I ever had is to see and experience this kind of throwing away relationships. I just don't understand this can happen. Relationships are so difficult to build, but sometimes, one misunderstanding everything is gone. Friends become strangers or even enemies. How can that be? Well, that's human weaknesses, if you admit.

    See how God builds relationships. See how God picks up brokenness and mends that. Do you know the real meaning of "Emmanuel", that is God with us, started with Ishmael? And, do you know Ishmael represents those Arab, including may be the ISIS! God with them? Why not? We are all victims! Only Satan wins!

     Human beings are so selfish, we hate, we curse, we throw away relationships, we kill and we can doing anything to people without a blink. How can that be! And, that's a reality. 

      Following God's path to build relationships! Don't throw people away just like that! 

Dear Lord Jesus,

Help us to follow your example in today's passage to build and not throw away relationships.  In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

    Please click this link to the app. Andy Ng wrote. You really need to use that if you have an Android cel. Andy said he is going to do the App. for iPhone later:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ideal.rec.app

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJWZQyLzDRQ

Amazing Grace My Chains are Gone

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You may choose to follow my other daily blog: 

Daily Devotion on Fire 2(2 years plan -One year New Testament, one year Old Testament): 

http://bishopsilas2.blogspot.ca/

Daily Devotion on Fire (3 years and 3 months plan, one chapter a day to finish reading the whole Bible): 

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/

Break.Build (40 days daily devotion- For Renewal or First Step for new Christians): http://www.breakbuild.blogspot.ca/

Emmanuel330 (40 weeks First Step Bible Study): 

http://emmanuel330.blogspot.ca/

This blog:

Discipler 123 (Daily devotion using N.T. Wright's NT for Everyone as source)

http://discipler123.blogspot.ca/

Rev. Nicky Gumbel's daily devotion: Bible in One Year

http://www.htb.org.uk/bio