10 October 2022

Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by a free woman.
One, the child of the slave, was born according to the flesh;
the other, the child of the free woman, was born through the promise.
From Galatians 4: 22-24, 26-27, 31 – 5:1 NRSV

There has been a lot of comment and reflection on the legacy of slavery in recent times. It is clear from today’s Reading that slavery goes far back into the history of the human race. Abraham had a wife, Sarah who was unable to have children so gave Hagar (a slave girl) to him – a union that brought forth a son, Ishmael. Eventually, and against the odds. Sarah herself bore the child God had promised. But the attitude towards the slave woman – that she had no choice – is one of the things that makes slavery abhorrent to so many people. Interestingly, when Abraham and Sarah cast Hagar away into the wilderness, it was God who intervened to ensure that she found shelter and food and hope. Her slave status did not apply in the eyes of God.

• • How does the acceptance of slavery in biblical times make you feel about God and God’s people?
  • What does God’s attitude to the slave woman and her child tell us about God’s attitude towards those who are enslaved?

Pray today for those who are caught up in modern-day slavery – especially women who are trafficked and their bodies abused.