A hostile world

Today's Readings: Genesis 25:1-26, 1 Chronicles 1:34

Highlighted Verses and my thoughts:

"Ishmael lives for 137 years. Then he breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. Ishmael's descendants occupied the region from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt in the direction of Asshur. There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives." Genesis 25:17-18

Today's reading was shorter than most, and I underlined very little. It began after Sarah's death and told of Abraham marrying again and having many more sons. But little is said of those sons after Abraham gave all to his son, Isaac, and then sent them off to 'a land in the east, away from Isaac'. What is said is about Ishmael, the son of Sarah's servant. His descendants 'lived in open hostility toward all their relatives'. All I could say is Why. Why more pain for Ishmael? First he was sent away from his father...to a sure death in the wilderness until God stepped in. He survived, and even thrived, fathering twelve sons. But, even in the end, at his death, more pain was to come -- this time a hostile life for his descendants.

God can be in our lives, being 'with' us, and we can still have pain. But, he will help us through that pain.