Monday, October 10, 2005
Genesis 16
Genesis 16
“My Way”
Vs. 1
“Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children.” Abram and Sarai have been promised a child, but have not gotten pregnant yet. They have been promised land, yet still they wander. There is often time that passes between God telling us what is going to happen for us, and when it actually happens. That is the “gap” we must stand in, by faith.
“But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.” No children, “But…” she does have the maid. This is where Sarai falls into a trap. Often times we see what appears to be the “obvious” way to do what God wants. Unfortunately it isn’t the way God wants it done.
Vs. 2-4
Abraham agrees to Sarai’s plan to sleep with Hagar, and see if he can get her pregnant. They decide they will keep that baby and make it the baby that God had promised them. So Abram sleeps with Hagar, and she gets pregnant.
Notice that in verse 2 it says, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant.” Sarah makes it all about God’s fault. So often when things don’t happen in the way that we think they should, or in our timing, we blame God. He must be punishing me, He must not want me to have …, God stopped me from …. We often see the lack of fulfillment in our time frame or understanding as a desire of God to not allow us to have/do something. And, then, we use this as a license to do things our own way.
“When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.” As soon as it is done, the problems arise. Tension between Sarai and Hagar is immediate.
Vs. 5-6
"You are responsible…” And the problems continue. The tension is now not only between Hagar and Sarai, but between Sarai and Abram. The infidelity of Abram has created problems for all involved. So often people think that their disobedience and wrong doing won’t hurt anyone else. We hear the statement “it didn’t hurt anyone” thrown around so haphazardly. Here we see the ripple effect of what seemed like a simple solution to God’s plan.
Eventually it is so bad that Hagar leaves.
Vs. 7-End
Hagar is sent back to live with Abram and Sarai by God. It is such a great picture of how God forgives us of our disobedience, but we still have to deal with some of the repercussions of our wrongdoing.
Conclusion
What we see in this story is typical of so many of us who get impatient with God. We seem to think that we need or deserve something quicker than God wants to give it to us. So, we take things into our own hands. When we do what God has promised to do in our own effort, it is inevitably bad. God sees all the outcomes, and knows how it is best for us. But, we still think we can do it better.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’”
“My Way”
Vs. 1
“Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children.” Abram and Sarai have been promised a child, but have not gotten pregnant yet. They have been promised land, yet still they wander. There is often time that passes between God telling us what is going to happen for us, and when it actually happens. That is the “gap” we must stand in, by faith.
“But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.” No children, “But…” she does have the maid. This is where Sarai falls into a trap. Often times we see what appears to be the “obvious” way to do what God wants. Unfortunately it isn’t the way God wants it done.
Vs. 2-4
Abraham agrees to Sarai’s plan to sleep with Hagar, and see if he can get her pregnant. They decide they will keep that baby and make it the baby that God had promised them. So Abram sleeps with Hagar, and she gets pregnant.
Notice that in verse 2 it says, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant.” Sarah makes it all about God’s fault. So often when things don’t happen in the way that we think they should, or in our timing, we blame God. He must be punishing me, He must not want me to have …, God stopped me from …. We often see the lack of fulfillment in our time frame or understanding as a desire of God to not allow us to have/do something. And, then, we use this as a license to do things our own way.
“When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.” As soon as it is done, the problems arise. Tension between Sarai and Hagar is immediate.
Vs. 5-6
"You are responsible…” And the problems continue. The tension is now not only between Hagar and Sarai, but between Sarai and Abram. The infidelity of Abram has created problems for all involved. So often people think that their disobedience and wrong doing won’t hurt anyone else. We hear the statement “it didn’t hurt anyone” thrown around so haphazardly. Here we see the ripple effect of what seemed like a simple solution to God’s plan.
Eventually it is so bad that Hagar leaves.
Vs. 7-End
Hagar is sent back to live with Abram and Sarai by God. It is such a great picture of how God forgives us of our disobedience, but we still have to deal with some of the repercussions of our wrongdoing.
Conclusion
What we see in this story is typical of so many of us who get impatient with God. We seem to think that we need or deserve something quicker than God wants to give it to us. So, we take things into our own hands. When we do what God has promised to do in our own effort, it is inevitably bad. God sees all the outcomes, and knows how it is best for us. But, we still think we can do it better.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’”
