BIBLE TEXT: GENESIS 21:7-14
7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
12 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.
13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
14 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.
MESSAGE
The family of Abraham will be used as an illustration because, evidently his children shone. In Christianity, the church and the world we have many children that their parents rose to high altitude and affluence but the children did not (both in faith and in material things). In this life, having sorrow over a child is one of the regretful memories of the parent. The sorrow of being barren is not as deep and regretful as being sorrowful over children who fail the test of life, this is so because it happens at old age and the soul and spirit doesn’t really accommodate sadness and sorrow at that moment of life . Barrenness, when you grow to certain age you can forget and find something to do about it like adoption, but having a child that brings sorrow is something you can’t do anything to, and it can bring everlasting and old age bitterness.
Who are those parent that their children will shine?
If a child will shine it doesn’t depend on the destiny he brought to the world alone.
– if a child will shine it doesn’t depend on his or her determination.
– if a child will shine it doesn’t base on material possession he met as inheritance.
Most things emphatically lies on the parent. God has not finished or completed the work over any child, He left later part for parents to accomplish.
Base on the evaluation, parent have major roles to play if a child will fulfill his God giving destiny. The rhetorical question to answer is base on the way you are treating and managing your child, will God’s promise come to fulfillment on the child?
The following are the categories of parents whose children will shine:
1. A PARENT THAT IS OBEDIENT: Only parents that are obedient to God can have assurance of fulfilment of their children. (Genesis 12:1-5). How will your child shine when the parent i.e the husband and wife are walking at cross road. As typified in the family of Abraham, as God commanded and illustrated Abraham, Sarah also yielded by following Abraham.
In your family, are you living as instructed in the scripture? Are you obedient to the illustration stipulated for couples?
In meditation, I evaluate that the promise God gave to Abraham was to come to fulfillment between Abraham and Sarah. Suppose Sarah did not obey and yielded to the instructions given to Abraham, the promise of Isaac would have been tempered with. If anyone of the couples excluded his or her responsibility to obey God and live according to the word of God, such action will have adverse effects on the child.
2. PARENT THAT MAKE CORRECTION OF THEIR MISTAKE:
In this life, there might be mistake. That you made mistake doesn’t ruin your destiny and future. When you are at peak of destruction is if you don’t do corrections. Only parent that their child will shine is those that makes correction to their mistakes. Gen 21: 14 Abraham expelled Ismael and his mother because they can destroy the destiny of Isaac. Some fathers are the one that ruin the destiny of their children. If by mistake, you impregnated another woman doesn’t make you a failure, but when you accept the mistake and live by it. Some impregnated another women outside marriage and called it mistake but still move further to impregnate her the second time, the third time. It is no more a mistake.
3. PARENT THAT GENUINELY LOVE GOD: Some parent forgot the master planner i.e God. Only parents that love God above all things are capable of training and winging up the child that will be successful. Gen 22 :1-3. It’s of no doubt that Abraham loves Isaac, he is willing to use Isaac as sacrifice because he loves God more than isaac. Sone parent loves their children more than God, who is the craftman. Some parent if they want to consider the choice of school for their children, they only consider academic aspect and not any single consideration about spiritual. A parent that loves God more than everything including the child are those that their children will prosper and shine. Sone parents can’t even release their child to do the things of God or mingle with other children of God because they want to protect the child and for him to be under their shadow. Some parent that as far as their child is prospering and doing well, they don’t care about anything again.
4. PARENT THAT IS READY TO SPEND ALL IT TAKES AND NECESSARY ON THE CHILDREN: Gen 25:5 some parent can buy ceremonial up to date luxury things for themselves but can’t pay School fees of their children. It’s not parent that has care free or non-challant attitude on the children.
Some parent will always have frivolous reasons to excuse themselves on their responsibility on their children.
Parent should take a deep thought on the 4 points and make a determination to make corrections. Some parents always show a carefree attitude towards their responsibilities on their children. It doesn’t depend on number of children you have: If you don’t serve your children, your children will not serve, no matter who you are.
A CHILD THAT WILL SHINE
Some parents do all necessary obligations while the children failed on the parts they ought to play. It’s not automatic that as you have responsible and good parents that you are going to be successful.
The following are the characteristic features of the children that will shine:
1. THE CHILD MUST RELEASE HIMSELF TO GOD: The important role Isaac played is that he submitted himself to his father. Let’s consider that Isaac is old enough to wrestle against his father. Gen 22:9-10
It’s only God that have the capacity to make and mar. If you don’t release yourself to the craftsman, he can erase anything he has written about you as a child.
2. A CHILD THAT IS DOING WHAT GOD WANTS IN EVERYTHING: A child that does everything according to the will and commandments of God in schooling, marital life, career choice, etc., such a child won’t consider his exposure, knowledge or civilization, but he put and make choices base on the will and commandments of God. Gen 24:16-17. It’s Abraham that makes marital choices for Isaac base on God’s leading. He (Isaac) didn’t consider his experience and knowledge but submitted all this to the decision and choice of his father.
Isaac accepted Rebekah not base on her beauty and fashion sense but it’s God’s choice for him.
Some people love what God did not want for them. This is a great problem. some of our students passed and graduated not according to the will of God
3. A CHILD THAT WILL LIVE ACCORDING TO WHAT HAS BEEN HANDED OVER TO HIM BY HIS PARENT, MINISTER OF GOD, MENTOR: A child that follows precedent of his parents are those who will be successful. Gen 25:2, when Isaac wife is barren, he followed and did what he saw Abraham his father doing. He didn’t visit baal or go for consolation and help. The very thing he did that he prayed.
