His Mercies Are New: A Daily Reminder of God’s Love

FRIDAY, 7 MARCH 2025

 

TEXT: Genesis 25:1-18

 

1: Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah.

 

2: She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.

 

3: Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Ashurites, the Letushites and the Leummites.

 

4: The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanok, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.

 

5: Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.

 

6: But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.

 

7: Abraham lived a hundred and seventy-five years.

 

8: Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.

 

9: His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite,

 

10: the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah.

 

11: After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

 

12: This is the account of the family line of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Sarah’s slave, Hagar the Egyptian, bore to Abraham.

 

13: These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,

 

14: Mishma, Dumah, Massa,

 

15: Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah.

 

16: These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps.

 

17: Ishmael lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. He breathed his last and died, and he was gathered to his people.

 

18: His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them.

 

(New International Version Holy Bible)

 

TOPIC:

DANGER OF A POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGE

 

Today's passage is about living a polygamous life. Abraham paid the price of having more than one wife.

 

Verse 6 states that he was intentional in settling the sons of the concubines with gifts while he was still alive. He further sent the children of the concubines away from Isaac.

 

For whatever reasons, many Christian homes are going back to the polygamous life without considering the implications on their homes.

 

Members of many polygamous homes today are facing life-threatening crises because their progenitors did look beyond their immediate sexual satisfaction.

 

QUESTION: What challenged you about polygamous homes in today's devotion?

 

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, help me to discover the problems inherent in polygamy so that l am not tempted to go into it. Amen. 

Remain Blessed     

ECWA Food For The Day, 2025.