Genesis 24:11

Genesis 24:11 says, And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.  Abraham's servant went to where the women would most likely be found while doing a daily task.  He was looking for a good woman to be Isaac's wife.  Today, there are many places that a man can meet a woman, but it is best to meet them in their everyday environment.  If that is at a bar getting drunk, then this might not speak highly of her.  Verse two states, And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.  The servant prayed to the God of Abraham, and asked for God to show mercy on Abraham.  I am not sure what this means about the servant's overall relationship to God, but he had to believe that God had the ability to answer his prayer.  When we are looking for a spouse today as followers of Christ, then the place to start is with prayer for God's guidance.  Verse thirteen declares, Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:  Then verse fourteen adds, And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.  The servant really didn't need to tell God where he was, anymore than we do today.  God knows where every person is, both physically and spiritually.  The servant proposed a way to determine how to know who the right woman was.  He would ask for water, and she would offer to water his camels as well.  We today likely cannot use this as a method for finding a wife, but we must trust that God will let us know when we meet the right person if we are prayfully seeking her.  Verse fifteen states, And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.  Even before the servant was through speaking, Rebekah, Abraham's niece, came to draw water.  Though we sometimes have to wait for God to answer our prayers we should not be surprised if He answers immediately.  Verse sixteen declares, And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.  This tells us a little about Rebekah's appearance and character.  Though we might be drawn to a person based on their looks, we should be drawn to them even more by their character.  Verse seventeen says, And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.  The servant ran to meet her and asked her for a drink of water.  I am not sure if other women were around or not, but the servant wasted no time in approaching Rebekah. If we are praying for an answer from God, we must be willing to act in seeing that prayer answered.  We cannot propose anything to God if we aren't willing to carry out our part of the proposal.  Verse eighteen states, And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.  Then verse nineteen adds, And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.  Rebekah gave the servant a drink, then offered to water his camels.  This was what the servant had proposed to God as a way to select a wife for Isaac.  When God answers our prayers, we must acknowledge it and act on it.  Verse twenty concludes, And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.  Rebekah didn't waste any time in watering the camels, nor did she just do as little as possible.  She made sure all the camels were watered.  I believe that when God answers our prayers that He does so completely, and often even beyond our expectations.

Genesis 24:1

Genesis 24:1 says, And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.  Abraham was getting old, but he was still being blessed by God in everything he did.  This implies that Abraham was still being obedient to God.  If we follow God's leadership, we will likewise be blessed all our life, no matter how long we live. Verse two states, And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:  Abraham had a servant who was in charge of all his household.  He called him and had him prepare to swear an oath, which was indicated by Abraham having the servant place his hand under Abraham's thigh.  Hopefully we have someone we can trust in times of need.  Verse three declares And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:  The oath was that the servant not choose a wife for Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites.  Having someone else choose a wife for us may seem very strange, but it is still done in places today, usually by the parents.  Even if we are choosing our own spouse, we need to allow God to guide us and not be ruled just by romantic ideals.  Verse four adds, But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.  The servant was to go back to Abraham's home country and find a wife for Isaac.  Abraham was not going to return, nor was he going to send Isaac.  I believe that Abraham was removing the temptation to return and stay where he had been called out from.  We likewise must do all that we can to avoid returning to where we were, at least spiritually, before God called us out of our lives of sin.  Verse five asks, And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?  The servant asked a couple of reasonable questions.  What if he chose someone and she wouldn't come?  Should he then take Isaac to her?  We cannot force others to follow what we feel is God's will.  Verse six declares, And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.  Abraham warned the servant to not take Isaac there.  As stated earlier, Abraham was where God had led him, and there was no going back.  Isaac had never lived in that land, but might have been tempted to live there.  We should do all that we can to avoid allowing our children to fall into temptation, but ultimately the choice will be theirs whether to follow Christ or not.  Verse seven adds, The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.  Abraham had faith that the LORD Who had given him this land would guide the servant in his task.  We need to have the same faith today, that the God Who lead us to salvation will direct us in our everyday life.  Verse eight continues, And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.  Abraham said that if the woman would not come willingly that the servant was freed from his oath, but even then he was not to bring Isaac there. We cannot force others to follow God, but we cannot go back to where He has led us from.  Verse nine states, And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.  The servant made the agreement with Abraham.  Abraham had to trust his servant to do the right thing, and at times we must simply trust that those we may have to rely on will do what is right.  Verse ten says, And the servant took ten camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.  The servant, who had control of all Abraham's goods, took ten camels and departed.  Having made the oath, the servant left to carry it out.  If we have promised to do something for someone else, then we should act to carry out that promise.

Genesis 23:1

Genesis 23:1 says, And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.  Verse two adds, And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.   Sarah lived long enough to see Isaac grow into a man.  She did not live long enough to see any more of God's promise fulfilled though.  Abraham mourned the death of Sarah.  They had been through a lot together, sometimes following God's plan in faith and sometimes following their own plan in doubt of God's ability to keep them safe.  Overall though, they had lived in obedience to God.  Verse three states, And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,  Then verse four adds, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.  After Abraham stood up from mourning Sarah, he knew he needed a place to bury her, and he was still just a sojourner in the land.  He didn't actually own any land.  Today, even if people own land, they often have to buy a place to bury their dead.  The truth is, no matter how much land we may own, we are all but sojourners in this world.  Like Abraham, even if a loved one dies, even as we mourn, we must get on with life.  Verse five says, And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,  Verse six continues, Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.  The children of Heth, those that Abraham had asked about obtaining a burial place from, acknowledged that Abraham was a great man and offered to allow him to bury Sarah in one of their tombs.  Though Abraham wanted more than a borrowed tomb, this would have been enough.  No matter how large or elaborate our tomb, or grave site may be, it is but a temporary resting place.  When Christ returns, we will no longer have need of a burial place, because we will rise again.  Verse seven states, And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.  Verse eight adds, And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,  Verse nine concludes, That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.  Abraham talked with the sons of Heth and asked them to intercede for him with Ephron, the son of Zohar, about selling Abraham a cave.  Abraham did not demand that they do this, nor did he say that God had already promised this land to him.  Abraham was willing to buy the cave for however much Ephron asked.  We cannot demand that others give us anything simply because we are followers of Christ, but must deal fairly with them.  Verse ten says, And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,  Then verse eleven adds, Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.  Ephron, in the presence of many witnesses, offered to give Abraham the cave.  Ephron was being very generous to Abraham.  Verse twelve states, And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.  Verse thirteen adds, And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.  For whatever reason, Abraham did not want the land as a gift.  He was respectful in declining the offer of the cave as a gift and again asked that he be allowed to buy it.  Abraham may have not wanted to be indebted to Ephron.  We likewise should not allow ourselves to become indebted to anyone in this world because they have given us something, even if it is something that we need.  Verse fourteen states, And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,  Then verse fifteen adds, My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.  Ephron told Abraham what the cave was worth, and asked Abraham what was that amount worth between them.  I believe that he was basically saying that the cave wasn't worth enough for Abraham to worry about paying for it.  No matter how little or much something is worth, we cannot allow it to come between us and our belief about what God would have us do, and even though it wasn't stated, I believe that Abraham felt that it was God's will for him to buy the cave so that he would not be indebted to Ephron.  The next few verses simply refer to the transaction.  Verse sixteen says, And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.  Verse seventeen adds, And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure.  Verse eighteen concludes, Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.  Abraham bought the cave for the specified amount.  If we feel that taking something for free will somehow compromise our faith in God, we must not accept it.  I believe that Abraham simply did not want anyone to think that he owed them something.  Verse nineteen states, And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.  Then verse twenty concludes, And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.  Abraham buried Sarah in Hebron in the land of Canaan.  He had successfully bought the burial place, even though God had promised him that he was to be the father of a great nation in a land that God would give him.  We should never use our relationship to God as a reason for taking something from anyone else.

Genesis 22:10

Genesis 22:10 says, And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.  Abraham was committed to following God's command, no matter if it cost him his son.  We must be willing to lay everything on altar of God, in that nothing, even family, should ever come between God and us.  Verse eleven states, But the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.  One of the angels of God called out to Abraham from heaven.  The angel did not appear to Abraham, but simply called out to him, and Abraham heard and responded.  We, like Abraham, must recognize when God is speaking to us, no matter how He chooses to do so, and we must respond.  Abraham simply said, "Here am I," and that is really all we can say.  Verse twelve says, And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.   Abraham was told to not harm Isaac, since God now saw that Abraham was willing to follow God no matter the cost.  Though Isaac really wasn't Abraham's only son, he was the son of the promise of God.  We really cannot successfully follow God if we allow anything or anyone to come between God and us.  Verse thirteen declares, And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.  Abraham had told Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice when they started up the mountain, and He did.  God will always provide whatever we need to accomplish His plan if we will only obey in faith.  God has provided the only sacrifice that we need or can have to restore our relationship with Him, and that is the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Verse fourteen states, And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.  Abraham named the place Jehovahjireh, which means the LORD will be seen.  Wherever we go today should be a place where God is seen if we are living in obedience to Christ.  Verse fifteen declares, And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,  Verse sixteen adds, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:  Verse seventeen continues, That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;  Verse eighteen concludes, And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.   Abraham was once again promised that he would be the father of a great nation because he was willing to put God above everything else in the world, even his only son, as Isaac is called.  All nations would be blessed because of Abraham's obedience to God.  Through the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, a descendant of Abraham through His human nature, the whole world is truly blessed.  Verse eighteen says, So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.  I am sure the trip down the mountain was more joyous than the trip up the mountain.  If we have what is referred to as a mountain top experience, the we should rejoice even as we go back down the mountain spiritually.  Verse twenty states, And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;  Abraham had left his family, but God now revealed to him facts about Abraham's brother and his brother's wife and children.  Verse twenty-one states, Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,  Verse twenty-two adds, And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.  Verse twenty-three continues, And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. And verse twenty-four concludes, And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.  God was still at work in the lives of other members of Abraham's family, whether they knew it or not.  God has never abandoned anyone, even if they refuse to accept His gift of salvation.  When they do refuse, they abandon God.  The verse introduce Rebekah, who will have a big part in carrying out God's promise to Abraham.

Genesis 22:1

Genesis 22:1 says, And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.  I believe that a more accurate translation would be that God tested Abraham's faith.  I do not believe that God tempts us to disobey, but that He may test our faith.  Satan is the one who tempts us to sin.  Verse two declares, And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  God told Abraham to take Isaac to the mountains which God would direct him to and offer him as a sacrifice.  God called Isaac Abraham's only son and said He knew Abraham loved Isaac.  Abraham had waited years for God to fulfill His promise that Abraham would be the father of a great nation, and now God was asking him to sacrifice the son who would fulfill that promise.  We will likely never face so great of a test of our faith.  Verse three states, And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.  Abraham did not attempt to bargain with God, but he got up early the next day and brought two servants, Isaac, and the wood for the sacrifice to the place that God directed him.  Even if what God asks us to do seems to be impossible, we must obey Him.  Verse four adds, Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.  They had been traveling three days when Abraham saw the place afar off.  That was three days that Abraham had in which to falter in his faith.  It is hard to imagine what he must have been thinking and going through emotionally.  We, like Abraham, cannot allow our thoughts and emotions to come between God and us, but must always be steadfast in our faith.  Verse five says, And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.  Abraham left the two young men and the ass and went on with Isaac alone.  He may have not wanted to have anyone witness what he was going to do or he might not have wanted anyone near by to stop him.  Abraham may have still had faith that God would somehow spare Isaac, because he said they would return.  Whatever Abraham's thoughts, he was continuing to follow God's instructions.  We must do the same when we know that God is instructing us to do something, no matter how hard it may be.  Verse six declares, And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.  Isaac carried the wood and Abraham carried the fire and knife for the sacrifice.  Isaac was in effect helping prepare for what Abraham thought would be his sacrifice.   Even if what we are asked to do involves others close to us, we cannot disobey God's call to a certain action.  Verse seven adds, And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  Isaac saw that something was missing.  Isaac asked Abraham where the sacrifice was.  Other people may sometimes question how we are going to accomplish what we know God is calling us to do, but we cannot allow that to stop us from doing it, even if they are family.  Verse eight states, And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.  Abraham told Isaac that God would provide the sacrifice.  We today must simply rely on God to provide what we need to accomplish His directions to us.  Verse nine concludes, And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.  Abraham prepared everything for the sacrifice, even Isaac.  We can only imagine what must have been going through both their thoughts at this time, but hopefully we will never experience such a situation.  Abraham remained true to his faith in and obedience to God, and so must we.

Genesis 21:22

Genesis 21:22 says, And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:  Those in power around Abraham noticed that he was being blessed by God.  As followers of Christ, even if we do not have great riches, people should be able to see that we are blessed by our relationship with Him.  Verse twenty-three adds, Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.  Abimelech asked Abraham to act honestly with him and his descendants from now own.  Abraham had not gotten off to a good start in this, but was now being asked to deal honestly from now on.  We should always deal honestly and fairly with those around us, even without them having to ask.  Verse twenty-four states,  And Abraham said, I will swear.  Abraham gave his word to Abimilech.  As followers of Christ, if we give our word to someone, we should always attempt to keep it.  Verse twenty-five declares, And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.  Abraham had a problem with some of Abimelech's servants taking a well of water from him, so he went to Abimelech to discuss the problem.  We should always go to those who are really in authority if we have a problem with someone who serves, or works, for them, but we should always do so with God's guidance and for His glory.   Verse twenty-six says, And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.  Abimelech said he was unaware of the problem before Abraham telling him of it at that time.  Abraham may have been blaming Abimelech for the problem when he wasn't the source of the problem.  We today must never just blame someone, especially those in power, for our problems without first making sure that they know that there is a problem.  Verse twenty-seven declares, And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.  Abraham gave a gift to Abimelech and made a covenant with him.  I believe that God expects us to do our best to get along with others, even if it costs us something materially.  Still, it should be done with God's guidance.  Verse twenty-eight states, And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.  Abraham set seven ewe lambs aside.  Then in verse twenty-nine Abimelech asks, And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?  Abimelech asked Abraham what the meaning was of this act.  As we worship and serve God today, the lost of the world may have questions about what we are doing.  Verse thirty states, And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.  Abraham said that when Abimelech took the seven ewe lambs that it would be a witness between them that Abraham had dug the well.  I don't believe that Abraham was attempting to buy Abimelech's good will, but that he was simply giving these lambs as a symbol of their agreement.  Verse thirty-one adds, Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.  Then verse thirty-two concludes, Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.  Abimelech and Abraham had resolved the problem peacefully, and Abraham named the place where they had entered into the covenant Beersheba.  I believe that this was so that every time someone came to the place they would be reminded of the covenant.  Every time we have dealings with other people, we should remember the covenant that we made with God when we came to the cross of Jesus.  Though this is not a physical place, it is a spiritual one.  Verse thirty-three states, And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.  Abraham planted a grove at the well, and called on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.  No matter what we do as followers of Christ, we must make sure that we are following God's will and give Him the glory.  Verse thirty-four states, And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days.  Having made peace with Abimelech, Abraham was able to stay there for many days.  We should always pray that God will allow us to live peacefully, wherever we may be.

Genesis 21:11

Genesis 21:11 says, And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.  Though Ishmael was not Sarah's son, he was Abraham's, and Abraham was grieved at the thought of sending him away.  Abraham had willingly listened to Sarah about having a child with Hagar, but he was reluctant to listen to her about sending Hagar and Ishmael away.  Like Abraham, sometimes we are more easily lead into sin than we are led to deal with the results of that sin.  Verse twelve states, And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.  God told Abraham to not be grieved and to follow Sarah's wishes, because Isaac would be the one that Abraham would become the father of a great nation through.  As followers of Christ, our actions will never replace God's plan, though they may affect our joy in our salvation.  If we attempt to do things our way and make a mess of it, then we must ask God to forgive us and direct us in the right direction.  Verse thirteen adds, And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.  God told Abraham that Ishmael would not be forgotten, but that a great nation would also come from Ishmael.  It just would not be the nation of the covenant between Abraham and God.  God was not going to destroy Ishmael because of the sin of Abraham, but neither was He going to change His covenant.  As followers of Christ, if we sin, we cannot expect God to totally destroy everything that is a result of that sin, but if we repent and return to obedience to God, we should not continue to be grieved by the sin.  Verse fourteen declares, And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.  Abraham wasted no time in carrying out God's instructions.  He arose early and sent Ishmael and Hager away.  When God directs us to do something, then we must do so as quickly as possible.  Verse fifteen states, And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.  The water that Abraham had given Hagar was gone and she was ready to give up.  We cannot rely on our own provisions or those provided by the world to sustain us forever if we do not look to God for His help.  Verse sixteen adds, And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.  Hagar didn't want to see Ishmael die, so she moved a little distance away from him and lifted up her voice and wept.  It does not say that she was calling on God, but whether she was or not, God heard her.  God will always be there when people are in anguish, and He will provide comfort if they will only acknowledge and listen to Him.  Verse seventeen declares, And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.  God asked what ailed Hagar, and then He gave her assurance that she did not need to despair.  Sho had to listen to and believe God for His words to have any effect, just as we must listen to and believe God for His words to have effect in our lives.  Verse eighteen adds, Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.  God still required Hagar to act on His instructions in faith.  If God provides an answer to our problems, we must always listen to Him and act in faith.  Verse nineteen says, And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.  Like Hagar, we must open our eyes in faith in order to receive His promise.  For Hagar and Ishmael, it was earthly water, but if accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we receive living water.  Verse twenty states, And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.  God was with Ishmael.  Verse twenty-one concludes, And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.  Eventually, Ishmael married an Egyptian woman.  God has never forgotten anyone who has ever lived, even if they never acknowledge Him.