Daily Devotion for Saturday, March 3, 2012

Scripture for Today: Genesis 16:7-15


Key Verse for Today: Genesis 16:9, "The LORD’s messenger said to her, 'Go back to your mistress. Put up with her harsh treatment of you.'"


Well, things just get better for Hagar, don't they?


The focus in her time was a different mindset than ours to say the least.  It was one where you were not just trying to survive as an individual - you were trying to keep your whole family alive.  Your whole people could be wiped out in a generation.


This is a little bit difficult for us to understand as Americans because we have been on top for a long time.


The human race has doubled in my lifetime.  I remember in 1974 when we hit 4 billion on the planet.  Humans were around 3.5 billion at my birth and on October 31, 2011, the Population Division of the United Nations celebrated the Day of Seven Billion.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau, we will hit 7 billion sometime this month.

As a culture, we really don't have the worry of extermination like they did in Hagar's day.  You might see things differently for the sake of your people's future if we lived back then.  Maybe Hagar's only future was in a return to a harsh condition.


Would I be willing to suffer if I knew it would benefit others?  If so, how much?


Is this really one of the fundamental questions of Lent as we journey with Jesus to the cross?  How am I willing to change my priorities so that I may be a blessing to others?


In this we follow our Lord.


Breath Prayer for today: Blessed Lord, show me your people.