IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

“laughter” is Born to Sarah

Date: Mar. 10, 2025

Passage

Genesis 21:1-21 (ESV)

The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” 11 And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 13 And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 21:1

The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised.

Both Abraham (17:17) and Sarah (18:12) had laughed at the impossibility of having a son. One year later “the LORD was gracious to Sarah … and …did for Sarah what he had promised.” They could finally understand God’s joy in naming him Isaac (17:19). Sarah saw this as a source of joy for everyone, not only her. Her crushed spirit was restored. God’s promises fulfilled through Jesus reveal his faithfulness and are a source of joy to us.

Hagar’s teenage son did not laugh but mocked. Abraham and Sarah’s sin against Hagar continued to hurt the family. But God intervened, affirming Isaac while directing Hagar and Ishmael to be sent out. Sending them away was the painful cost of sin, which God took responsibility for on their behalf.

Hagar’s life has been hard as an abused slave, used up and then cast aside. But God did not abandon her. God visits her again, calls her by name, provides words of comfort and direction, and opens her eyes to his providence for them. God’s mindfulness for her and her son reminds us of our Lord Jesus, who came to seek and to save the lost (Lk 19:10). Sometimes we or our loved ones feel like Hagar sobbing in the desert, needing God’s intervention. Let’s pray to our merciful God.

Prayer: Father, remind me of the joy of salvation that I may laugh today. Please intervene in the lives of today’s Hagar and Ishmael.

One Word: God keeps his promises

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