The God Who Sees Us

TRUST IN TRIALS GENESIS 16:7-16 A FELLA WAS ON VACATION •IN COSTA RICA… AS HE WAS WALKING IN THE JUNGLE ONE MORNING •HE CAME ACROSS AN IMMENSE COCOON. •AS HE STOOD THERE LOOKING AT THE COCOON… THE BUTTERFLY INSIDE BEGAN TO EMERGE. •IT WAS A VERY SLOW PROCESS.. •THE MAN NOTICED THAT THE BUTTERFLY WAS •STRUGGLING TO FREE ITSELF FROM THE COCOON. •TAKING PITY ON THE STRUGGLING INSECT •HE TOOK OUT HIS KNIFE AND CUT PART OF THE COCOON… TO HELP.. IT CAME SAFELY AND EASILY OUT •BUT HE NOTICED THAT THIS BUTTERFLY LACKED THE BRILLIANT COLORS THAT HE SAW ON ALL THE OTHERS….. •THE PAIN OF THE STRUGGLE WAS NECESSARY FOR THE COLORS TO COME OUT. • THE BEAUTIFUL COLORS OF THE SOUL ARE WON IN THE STRUGGLE WITH •AND THE VICTORY OVER, TRIAL AND ADVERSITY. •WITHOUT OUR STRUGGLES WE HAVE NO NEED TO LEAN ON GOD •WE CAN’T TRUST HIM WHEN •WE THINK WE DON’T NEED HIM IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE GOD •ALLOWS TRIALS, PROBLEMS, CHALLENGES…. •THESE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES •PROVIDE A WAY FOR US TO GROW OUR FAITH •BY TRUSTING IN GOD AS WE GO THROUGH THEM… AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED TO KNOW •THAT THE GREATEST GROWTH IN OUR WALK WITH GOD •COMES AS WE TRUST IN… LEAN ON •THE GOD WHO SEES OUR TRIALS… •THE GOD WHO CARES FOR US IN… LESS THAN PERFECT SITUATIONS THE MAN WHO JUST LOST HIS JOB •NEEDS TO KNOW GOD SEES HIM •GOD KNOWS THE SITUATION •WE ALL NEED TO KNOW WE ARE NOT ALONE IN OUR PROBLEMS… •AND THE GOD WHO SEES US CARES ABOUT US TODAY WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT •GOD SEEING SOMEONE FACING REAL PROBLEMS •AND HOW GOD CARES FOR HER IN THESE PROBLEMS •SHE WILL TRUST GOD AND DO HIS WILL •AS SHE STANDS ON THE PROMISES OF GOD TURN TO GENESIS 16:7 •ABRAM AND SARAI HAD BEEN IN CANAAN 10 YEARS •AND STILL THEY HAD NO CHILD •SARAI HAD COME UP WITH A PLAN •SHE GAVE HER SERVANT HAGAR TO ABRAM HAGAR HAD CONCEIVED A CHILD •AND IN HER PRIDE SHE DESPISED SARAI •SARAI ASKED ABRAM HANDLE IT •BUT HE TOLD SARAI TO DO WHATEVER SHE WANTED TO HAGAR •SARAI TREATED HAGAR HARSHLY SO HAGAR RAN AWAY. GENESIS 16:7–9 NOW THE ANGEL OF THE LORD FOUND HER BY A SPRING OF WATER IN THE WILDERNESS, BY THE SPRING ON THE WAY TO SHUR. HE SAID, “HAGAR, SARAI’S MAID, WHERE HAVE YOU COME FROM AND WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” ↓ AND SHE SAID, “I AM FLEEING FROM THE PRESENCE OF MY MISTRESS SARAI.” THEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID TO HER, “RETURN TO YOUR MISTRESS, AND SUBMIT YOURSELF TO HER AUTHORITY.” WHEN WE KNOW GOD CARES ABOUT •OUR TRIALS, WE CAN TRUST GOD… •WE HAVE A GOD WHO CARES ABOUT US •HAGAR HAD RUN AWAY FROM ABRAM’S HOUSEHOLD •AND IN THIS VERSE WE SEE GOD GOING TO LOOK FOR HER NOW WHEN WE SEE THAT IT SAYS •THE ANGEL OF THE LORD FOUND HER •WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW BIG A DEAL THIS IS •MOST THEOLOGIANS AGREE, THIS IS A THEOPHANY •A THEOPHANY IS AN APPEARANCE OF GOD IT WOULD TAKE TO LONG TO EXPLAIN •ALL THE REASONS FOR WHY WE THINK THIS IS GOD •APPEARING TO HAGAR IN THE FORM OF AN ANGEL •BUT BASICALLY THE WAY THE PHRASE THE ANGEL OF THE LORD IS WRITTEN •COMBINED WITH SOME OF THE THINGS HE SAYS MAKES IT VERY LIKELY THAT GOD •WENT LOOKING FOR AND FOUND HAGAR THE EGYPTIAN SLAVE WHO WAS CARRYING ABRAM’S CHILD… •WHAT I WANT US TO LEARN FROM THIS IS THAT GOD SEES US IN OUR TRIALS… GOD CARES FOR •US IN OUR TRIALS.. GOD CARES SO MUCH •HE COMES AND FINDS HAGAR BY A SPRING •AND ASKS HER A QUESTION… •“HAGAR, SARAI’S MAID, WHERE HAVE YOU COME FROM AND WHERE ARE YOU GOING?” FIRST WE NEED TO NOTICE THAT GOD •CALLED HAGAR… SARAI’S MAID… HE DID NOT CALL HER •ABRAM’S WIFE… HAGAR HAD LET IT GO TO HER HEAD •THAT SHE WAS CARRYING ABRAM’S CHILD •AND SHE HAD DESPISED SARAI SO GOD REMINDS HER THAT SHE IS •SARAI’S MAID… SECOND GOD ASKS HER •A QUESTION… NOW REALIZE GOD IS NOT ASKING •BECAUSE HE DOES NOT KNOW…. HE IS ASKING •BECAUSE HE WANTS HER TO REMEMBER WHERE SHE HAS BEEN AND THINK •ABOUT WHERE SHE IS HEADED.. •HAGAR HAD BEEN LIVING WITH ABRAM.. WHO IS BLESSED BY GOD… AND GOD HAS PROMISED •TO BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS ABRAM •IT WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD IDEA FOR HER TO STAY THERE. AND FROM WHERE GOD FINDS HER •WE CAN BE PRETTY SURE SHE WAS HEADED •BACK TO EGYPT… A LAND OF FALSE GODS •AND HARSH CONDITIONS FOR SLAVES •SHE WOULD REALLY BE A LOT SAFER GOING BACK TO ABRAM’S TENTS •AND PATCHING THINGS UP…. •GOD CALLS US TO TRUST IN HIM… TO LEAN ON HIM.. •AND WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT GOD CARES FOR US •IN OUR TIMES OF TRIALS… IN OUR PROBLEMS… WE CAN TRUST IN GOD ALL THE TIME •WE HAVE A GOD WHO LOVES US AND CARES FOR •EVEN WHEN WE FEEL ALONE… IN THE WILDERNESS •EVEN WHEN WE RUN AWAY FROM OUR PROBLEMS •WE CAN KNOW GOD LOVES US ENOUGH TO COME LOOKING FOR US… •AND WHEN HE DOES COME LOOKING FOR US •WE HAVE A CHOICE… WE CAN KEEP RUNNING •OR WE CAN FESS UP CAUSED WE MESSED UP •WE CAN ADMIT OUR MISTAKES WHEN WE COME CLEAN WITH GOD •IN OUR TRIALS WE CAN TRUST GOD •I LOVE HOW HAGAR SAYS;” •I AM FLEEING FROM THE PRESENCE OF MY MISTRESS SARAI.” •SHE IS ADMITTING HER MISTAKE.. SHE CALLS SARAI HER MISTRESS… A VERY KIND AND RESPECTFUL WORD SHE ADMITS TO FLEEING, RUNNING •AWAY FROM HER RESPONSIBILITIES.. •SHE DOES NOT EVEN BLAME SARAI WHO MISTREATED HER…. •SOMETIMES THE HARDEST THING TO DO IN A TRIAL •IS ADMITTING YOUR MISTAKES.. AND YET GOD HAS TOLD US 1 JOHN 1:9 IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND RIGHTEOUS TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS. IT IS SO MUCH EASIER TO TRUST GOD •IN OUR TRIALS IF WE WILL JUST COME CLEAN •AND ADMIT OUR MISTAKES… •AND LETS FACE IT… NONE OF US HAS FOLLOWED •GOD’S COMMANDS PERFECTLY… •ALL OF US HAVE MADE MISTAKES… WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE •LISTEN TO GOD’S COMMANDS IN OUR TRIALS…. •NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROUGH TRIAL OR PROBLEM •THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS SUBMIT. BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT GOD •TELLS HAGAR TO DO… TO •“RETURN TO YOUR MISTRESS, AND SUBMIT YOURSELF TO HER AUTHORITY.” •IN OUR CULTURE WE DON’T LIKE EITHER •OF THOSE IDEAS… SUBMITTING.. OR AUTHORITY TITUS 3:1 REMIND THEM TO BE SUBJECT TO RULERS, TO AUTHORITIES, TO BE OBEDIENT, TO BE READY FOR EVERY GOOD DEED, WHEN WE FACE A TRIAL, A PROBLEM •WE NEED TO LOOK HONESTLY AT OUR SELVES TO SEE •IF WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT GOES AGAINST GOD’S COMMANDS… •AND CHANCE ARE WE ARE… •IF WE ARE THEN WE NEED TO CHANGE WE NEED TO DO OUR BEST TO •DO WHAT GOD HAS COMMANDED ALL THE TIME •BUT WHEN WE FACE A DIFFICULT SITUATION •WE NEED TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION •TO WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE DRIFTED FROM GOD’S WORD C.S. LEWIS ONCE WROTE: •EVERY PROBLEM IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVE GOD'S POWER. •EVERY DAY WE ENCOUNTER COUNTLESS •GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES, BRILLIANTLY DISGUISED •AS INSURMOUNTABLE PROBLEMS. TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE •GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION… •PAY ATTENTION TO GOD’S COMMANDS… •PAY ATTENTION TO HOW WELL WE ARE FOLLOWING THEM… •AND TRUST IN GOD’S PROMISES… GENESIS 16:10–12 MOREOVER, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID TO HER, “I WILL GREATLY MULTIPLY YOUR DESCENDANTS SO THAT THEY WILL BE TOO MANY TO COUNT.” THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID TO HER FURTHER, “BEHOLD, YOU ARE WITH CHILD, AND YOU WILL BEAR A SON; AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME ISHMAEL, BECAUSE THE LORD HAS GIVEN HEED TO YOUR AFFLICTION. “HE WILL BE A WILD DONKEY OF A MAN, HIS HAND WILL BE AGAINST EVERYONE, AND EVERYONE’S HAND WILL BE AGAINST HIM; AND HE WILL LIVE TO THE EAST OF ALL HIS BROTHERS.” TRUST IN GOD’S PROMISES EVEN IN •IN OUR PROBLEMS… •KINDA LIKE GOD DID WITH ABRAM •HE FOLLOWS UP A COMMAND WITH A PROMISE • “I WILL GREATLY MULTIPLY YOUR DESCENDANTS SO THAT THEY WILL BE TOO MANY TO COUNT.” THIS IS ONE OF THOSE REASONS •WE ARE PRETTY SURE THIS IS GOD •ONLY GOD CAN GREATLY MULTIPLY YOUR DESCENDANTS •SO IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION •GOD MAKES AN AMAZING PROMISE TO HER UNDERSTAND JUST HOW AMAZING •THIS PROMISE IS… SHE IS A RUNAWAY SLAVE •TRYING TO MAKE HER WAY ACROSS THE NEGEV •A HORRIBLE DESOLATE DESERT… •SHE IS JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE AND GOD SAYS HE IS GOING TO •GREATLY MULTIPLY HER DESCENDANTS •WHEN WE ARE FACING PROBLEMS, TRAILS •BAD SITUATIONS… ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL THINGS •WE CAN DO IS TO REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED US… •SEE… THOSE PROMISES ARE THERE… EVEN IN…ESPECIALLY IN… •THOSE TRYING TIMES… •GOD HAS PROMISED US THE PEACE OF GOD…. •GOD HAS PROMISED AN ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP.. GOD HAS PROMISED HE WILL NEVER •LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US… •WE NEED TO REMEMBER AND TRUST THESE PROMISES •ALL THE TIME… BUT BOY WHEN WE ARE IN A TRAIL •OR FACE A PROBLEM… WE REALLY NEED THOSE PROMISES TRUST THAT GOD USES LESS THAN •PERFECT SITUATIONS… AFTER PROMISING •TO MULTIPLY HER DESCENDANTS GOD •TELLS HER EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING TO COME •FROM THIS TRIAL SHE IS NOW FACING “BEHOLD, YOU ARE WITH CHILD, •AND YOU WILL BEAR A SON; AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME ISHMAEL, •NOW.. IT WAS NOT REALLY NEWS TO HAGAR •THAT SHE WOULD BEAR A CHILD… BUT •IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BIG NEWS THAT HE WOULD BE A SON… •AND WHEN GOD SAYS YOU CALL HIS NAME ISHMAEL •THAT IS ACTUALLY REALLY IMPORTANT •WHEN GOD GIVES SOMEONE A NAME •HE ALWAYS HAS A REASON IN THIS CASE… THE NAME ISHMAEL •HAS A WONDERFUL MEANING •IT MEANS GOD HEARS… I AM SURE THAT •WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT COMFORT TO HAGAR •WHO WAS ALL ALONE IN THE DESERT IN A WAY… THIS NAME WAS ALSO •A PROMISE.. THAT GOD IS A GOD WHO HEARS US •HE HEARS US ALL THE TIME… BUT WE REALLY •NEED TO KNOW HE HEARS US IN OUR PROBLEMS… •AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT GOD USES LESS THAN PERFECT SITUATIONS •GOD TELLS HAGAR THE REASON HE WILL •MULTIPLY HER DESCENDANTS.. THE REASON SHE •WILL BEAR A SON AND NAME HIM ISHMAEL •IS BECAUSE THE LORD HAS GIVEN HEED TO YOUR AFFLICTION. THE IDEA THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN •HEED TO SOMETHING MEANS THAT GOD HAS NOTICED •OR EVEN PAID ATTENTION TO SOMETHING •AND IT SAYS HERE GOD NOTICED HER •AFFLCITION.. AND THIS WORD AFFLICTION IS A PRETTY SERIOUS WORD.. THIS IS •TALKING ABOUT GREAT SUFFERING, MISERY, •PERSECUTION AND DISTRESS… •GOD DOES NOT TRY TO TELL HAGAR THINGS ARE JUST FINE •GOD IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT SHE IS REALLY IN A BAD SPOT AND YET EVEN IN THAT REALLY TRULY •BAD SITUATION.. GOD HEARS… GOD SEES •AND GOD CARES… HIS PROMISES ARE STILL THERE •HE KNOWS HER SUFFERING… AND IS THERE WITH HER IN HER PROBLEMS.. • AND HE KNOWS HOW IT IS GOING TO WORK OUT TRUST THAT GOD KNOWS THE •OUTCOME OF OUR PROBLEMS.. IN THIS CASE •GOD NOT ONLY KNOWS THAT HAGAR WILL HAVE A SON •GOD KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT KIND OF MAN •THIS SON WILL GROW UP TO BE A WILD DONKEY OF A MAN, •NOW I THINK WE MIGHT HEAR THIS •A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN HAGAR WOULD •MOST MOTHERS WOULD NOT WANT TO HEAR •THAT THEIR SONS WE BE A WILD DONKEY BUT THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN •AS INSULTING TO HAGAR AS IT SOUNDS TO US •THE WILD DONKEYS THAT ROAMED CANAAN’S •WILDERNESS WERE UNTAMABLE AND FREE •AND ISHMAEL AND HIS DESCANTS WOULD ALSO BE WILD AND FREE •THEY WOULD BE NOMADS THAT ROAMED •THE DESERT SANDS.. GOD ALSO SAID •ISHMAEL’S HAND WILL BE AGAINST EVERYONE, AND EVERYONE’S HAND WILL BE AGAINST HIM; AND THIS HAS CERTAINLY BEEN TRUE •OF ISHMAELS DESCENDANTS… •THE DESCENDANTS OF ISHMAEL… IN LARGE PART MAKE UP THE MUSLIM’S OF THE MIDDLE EAST •A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN •AT WAR↓ FOR THE MAJORITY OF HISTORY •THEY HAVE TRULY BEEN AGAINST EVERYONE •AND TO A LARGE EXTENT EVERYONE HAS BEEN AGAINST THEM…. •EXACTLY AS GOD TOLD HAGAR… •SO LONG AGO AT A SPRING •IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT…. MANY TIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR •PROBLEMS THE LAST THING WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT IS GOD’S WILL… •WE ARE SO FOCUSED ON THE PROBLEM… THE SITUATION… •WE FORGET THAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO HIS WILL SOMETIMES WE THINK THE WILL •OF GOD IS SO HARD… •IF WE ONLY UNDERSTOOD GOD’S WILL IS THE SOFTEST PILLOW WE •CAN REST OUR HEADS UPON… •IF WE WOULD RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS NO CHOICE BUT GOD’S CHOICE NO AIM BUT GOD’S AIM.. HOW IT •WOULD TAKE ALL THE WORRY AND CARE FROM OUR LIVES. •IF WE COULD JUST LEARN THAT WE ARE ONLY HAPPY AND SAFE.. •ONLY AT PEACE… •WHEN WE ALLOW GOD TO CHOOSE OUR PATH GENESIS 16:13–14 THEN SHE CALLED THE NAME OF THE LORD WHO SPOKE TO HER, “YOU ARE A GOD WHO SEES”; FOR SHE SAID, “HAVE I EVEN REMAINED ALIVE HERE AFTER SEEING HIM?” THEREFORE THE WELL WAS CALLED BEER-LAHAI-ROI; BEHOLD, IT IS BETWEEN KADESH AND BERED. TRUST HIS PROMISES, GIVE HIM THE •GLORY…. HAGAR HAD RUN AWAY… AND GOD HAD FOUND HER… •HE TOLD HER TO GO BACK AND SUBMIT… •AND THEN HE TOLD HER HOW THIS WAS ALL GOING TO WORK OUT NOW WE SEE HAGAR’S RESPONSE… •HAGAR SAYS “YOU ARE A GOD WHO SEES”; •AND THIS MEANS MORE THAN JUST THAT GOD •VISIBLY OBSERVES…. THIS MEANS GOD SEES TO •AS IN LOOKS AFTER … CARES FOR THIS IS REALLY A STATEMENT OF •TRUST… IN SAYING THAT GOD LOOKS AFTER HER •HAGAR IS SAYING THAT FROM NOW ON •SHE WILL TRUST GOD TO LOOK AFTER HER… •SHE WILL TRUST GOD TO SEE HER IN HER PROBLEMS AND THAT GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF •HER IN THOSE PROBLEMS…. IN DOING THIS •SHE IS GIVING GOD THE GLORY FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE •SHE IS ACKNOWLEDGING HIS ACT OF CARING FOR •HER IN HER TIME OF NEED… THIS IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE •OF WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN IN OUR TRIALS… •WHEN WE GO THROUGH PROBLEMS •WE NEED TO NOTICE GOD’S HELP… GOD’S KINDNESS •IN OUR PROBLEMS… AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND JUST LIKE HAGAR DID THAT •GOD DOES SEE US IN OUR PROBLEMS.. •HE DOES CARE FOR US IN OUR TRIALS.. •AND WE NEED TO GIVE HIM THE HONOR AND THE GLORY •EVEN WHEN WE ARE STILL IN THE PROBLEM REMEMBER HAGAR IS STILL IN •AT A SPRING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT.. •AND EVEN THOUGH SHE IS STILL IN THE MIDDLE •OF HER PROBLEM SHE GIVES GOD THE GLORY •AND AFTER THE PROBLEM IS OVER.. WE STILL NEED TO REMEMBER WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN •OUR LIFE… THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAD A REALLY INTERESTING WAY •OF REMEMBERING THE IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THEIR LIVES… •THEY NAMED THINGS AFTER THE EVENTS… THE WELL HAGAR WAS AT DURING •THIS EVENT WAS CALLED BEER-LAHAIROI; •THIS NAME MEANS…. THE WELL OF •THE LIVING ONE WHO SEES ME… •THIS HELPED GOD’S PEOPLE TO REMEMBER THAT GOD SEES THEM AND HELPS IN TIMES •OF TROUBLE.. IT ALSO HELPED THEM •TO REMEMBER GOD’S PROMISES.. AND •TRUST HIM… •SOMETIMES WE HAVE A HARD TIME •REMEMBERING WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US… I GREW UP AROUND ALCOHOLICS •ANONYMOUS.. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME •AS A KID IN AA MEETINGS HEARING PEOPLE TELL STORIES. •STORIES OF HOW BAD IT IN WHEN THEY WERE DRINKING. •STORIES OF HOW THEY HAD GOTTEN SOBER….. I KIND OF WONDERED WHY •THEY KEPT TELLING THE SAME STORIES OVER AND OVER. •THEN I CAME TO JESUS CHRIST •AND I BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY TOLD THOSE STORIES. •WHEN GOD HAS DONE AN AMAZING WORK IN YOUR LIFE, LIKE GETTING YOU SOBER. •WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE •WE NEVER FORGET EXACTLY WHAT GOD HAS DONE. •ONE WAY WE CAN KEEP FROM FORGETTING WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US… IS BY CONTINUING TO TELL THE •STORIES OF THE GLORIOUS THINGS •GOD HAS DONE IN OUR LIVES. •THE HEBREW PEOPLE DID THIS BY NAMING PLACES AFTER EVENTS… •WHERE GOD HAD HELPED THEM GENESIS 16:15–16 SO, HAGAR BORE ABRAM A SON; AND ABRAM CALLED THE NAME OF HIS SON, WHOM HAGAR BORE, ISHMAEL. ABRAM WAS EIGHTY-SIX YEARS OLD WHEN HAGAR BORE ISHMAEL TO HIM. MOSES CONCLUDES THIS ACCOUNT •BY DESCRIBING HOW GOD WAS FAITHFUL •TO DO WHAT HE HAD PROMISED HE WOULD DO… •GOD HAD SAID HAGAR WOULD BEAR A SON •AND THAT HIS NAME WOULD BE ISHMAEL AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT •HAPPENED… I DON’T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED •BUT MOSES MENTIONS THAT ISHMAEL •IS ABRAM’S SON 3 DIFFERENT TIMES •THIS IS DONE BECAUSE IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE ISRAELITES… UNDERSTAND •THE FACT THAT ISHMAEL IS TRULY ABRAM’S SON. •AND THEN MOSES POINTS OUT ABRAM’S AGE. •ABRAM IS 86 AT THIS POINT.. THAT MEANS •HE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR AN HEIR FOR QUITE A WHILE… AND HE IS NOT •DONE WAITING YET… GOD WILL FULFILL •HIS PROMISE OF AN HEIR TO ABRAM •BUT HE WILL NOT DO IT FOR ANOTHER 14 YEARS •IT IS MUCH EASIER TO WAIT ON GOD WHEN WE REMEMBER HIS •FAITHFULNESS.. IF WE GET ALL •CAUGHT UP IN OUR SITUATION.. •ALL FOCUSED ON OUR PROBLEMS… • WE CAN FORGET ABOUT HOW AMAZING GOD IS, HOW FAITHFUL… CIRCUMSTANCES WILL ALWAYS •TRY TO DICTATE DOUBT AND UNBELIEF. •REMEMBER THIS...”FAITH ISN’T SWAYED BY CIRCUMSTANCES, •HOWEVER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE ALWAYS SWAYED •BY FAITH IN GOD’S PROMISES!” AS CHRISTIANS WE HAVE A LOT •IN COMMON WITH CATERPILLARS •WE ARE WORKING HARD TO BE TRANSFORMED •AND JUST LIKE A BUTTERFLY NEEDS •THE STRUGGLE OF BREAKING FREE OF THE COCOON.. WE NEED OUR STRUGGLES IN LIFE •SO THAT WE CAN BE TRANSFORMED •TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS CHRIST… •THE PROBLEMS AND TRIALS WE FACE IN LIFE •PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND GROW…. OPPORTUNITIES TO TRUST GOD… •WE HAVE A GOD WHO CARES ABOUT US.. •A GOD WHO HEARS US IN OUR AFFLICTION… •A GOD WHO SEES US AND LOOKS AFTER US WE CAN TRUST THAT GOD HAS A •PLAN EVEN IN OUR PROBLEMS.. •THAT HE CAN USE LESS THAT PERFECT SITUATIONS… •THAT GOD KNOWS THE OUTCOME… •THAT WE CAN TRUST HIS PROMISES.. BECAUSE •HE IS A LOVING AND FAITHFUL GOD.. •EVEN IN… ESPECIALLY IN…THE ROUGH TIMES… •AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS DONE •AND GIVE HIM THE GLORY…. THIS GOD WHO CARES FOR US •IN OUR PROBLEMS… CARED ABOUT US •SO MUCH… IN OUR GREATEST PROBLEM… •OUR LOSTNESS.. OUR SEPARATION FROM HIM.. •THAT HE CAME LOOKING FOR US.. AND FOUND US… •THAT HE CAME IN THE FORM OF A MAN… JESUS CHRIST…AND LIVED A SINLESS LIFE..