This chapter gives us a better perspective on the relationship between Abraham and Ishmael. By the time Isaac was born, Ishmael was 14 years old. He was circumcised and by standards of the time pretty much a man. Abraham had raised Ishmael as his only son and heir. So, when God announced the coming of Isaac through Sarah, it had to be a time of mixed emotion for Abraham. He was excited to have a son by his soul mate, of course, but a dad cannot simply turn off his love for a son.
Abraham trusted God, and that was counted to him as righteousness. None the less, Abraham wanted good things for Ishmael. God saw that, and though God knew it would be a conflict for the ages, the Lord honored the wish of Abraham. God made clear that Isaac’s lineage would be the chosen people, but He also promised Ismael’s line would be blessed and strong.
In our lives, we make choices that are outside God’s plan. Those choices have consequences. We must remember; however, God is our Father. He loves us and takes us just as we are. Sometimes, that means God will take our mistakes and use them as a part of the plan. Other times, God will proceed with His plan in our lives but allow the messiness of our sin to filter through. We can never know the mind of God, but we can know God does have the heart of a Father and would do anything He could to fulfill our desires.
Like Abraham, we must trust God, and allow the Lord to lead us though the journey, and simply restrain our desire to help the Father out. We must believe, now and always, that the Creator and Master of the universe can handle His plan for our lives. Starting again today, trust God and allow Him to take the lead of your life, even if that lead will be messy.
God Bless You
15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.[d] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” 22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
Walking With God 