God’s Blessing and the Call to Faith

Read Genesis 21:8-21

A wise man once told me, “God doesn’t have grandchildren”. Does it not seem interesting that God would bless Ishmael, he was conceived through polygamy and contrary to God’s plan, yet God promises to make him into a great nation.

But notice two things, in verse 13, he is made a great nation because of his father Abraham, and then more importantly in verse 12, it is through Isaac that Abraham’s offspring will be named.

Ishmael would be blessed through Abraham but only temporarily. It would be Isaac who would receive the covenant promises, the one who God would dwell with and bless his offspring, not most importantly with might, but with his presence.

Ishmael was convinced in unbelief, and so his offspring would grow to be people of unbelief, those who hated and rebelled against God, who refused to submit and trust in him. They would be blessed for a time, but as they distanced themselves from God more, they would fall under his curse not his blessing.

But it was Isaac who would receive the promises, who would continue to trust in God and so would his offspring after him. But you see the difference is that Isaac was a man of faith, as was his offspring after him. Not all of them, but some of them.

Our children and grandchildren are given an immense blessing. They are being raised in Christian homes, or have Christian influence in their lives. They have the ability to hear the gospel at a young age, which is a profound gift, but it is not a gift which shall last forever.

You see, like concrete, when it is first poured it is still impressionable and malleable, but with time it sets harder and harder until it becomes as hard as stone. Ishmael was given a gift, through his father, knowledge of the Lord almighty. But you will see he disappears from the biblical record as quickly as his faith in God disappeared.

Do not neglect the time we have to pour into the lives of children and young people. God can break into the hardest of hearts, but he does his best work before the fruit ripens.

Questions:

What were some ways you have been blessed by people, especially people older than you, in your Christian walk?

How might you contribute to the Christian walk of the children and younger people you know?