If Only Ishmael
Abraham was the man of faith and receiver of the Abrahamic covenant. In the face of God’s great promise, this same Abraham, when hearing once again that the Creator would do the supernatural and give him and his wife a son, even at the ripe old age of 100, fell to the ground and laughed at God’s promise. Then Abraham said, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing.” WHAT?!
To laugh at God’s promise is one thing. Still, Abraham follows his laughing spell by sticking the result of his foolish, self-centered plan right in the face of God and suggesting that his was a better solution. WHAT!? I would have freaking fried Abraham on the spot. But I am not God. The God of the Old Testament was merciful.
God did not zap Abraham, inflict him with disease, or kill all his family. God simply acknowledged Abraham’s statement and then moved on. “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him. I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.”
I must admit to being a little rough on Abraham here. I mean, I am certainly no better. If I were 100 years old and God told me I would father a child, I would have laughed at God. And who am I trying to trick? How often have I stuck my plan in God’s face and said, “Bless this”? Abraham is indeed a saint compared to me. But it is comforting for us regular folk to know that such a man of faith and bearer of the covenant could fall so short of the mark in this instance. That being said, the lesson in this scripture should not be overlooked.
What’s the lesson in Abraham’s laughing spell and his “If Only Ishmael” statement? I think God wants us to know that it’s alright if we don’t completely understand His plan. Indeed, we seldom do understand God’s plan. I think it is also essential to realize that asking God to bless your mistakes and your self-deluded plans is dangerous. Whenever you raise your plan and ask God’s blessing on it, your finite mind cannot comprehend the future possibilities of your actions. In Abraham’s instance, the blessing proclaimed on Ishmael at Abraham’s request resulted in the founding of nations, some of which now seek to wipe Abraham’s offspring and heritage from the face of the earth.
Once you know God’s plan differs from yours, let yours go. Simple as that.