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January 17th
Our bible reading today is Genesis 16,17,18.
Yesterday’s reading introduced us to the faith of Abram....(Can't wait until we read the record 35 yrs in the future when God honored his heroic faith...like few others down through the years.) But Today’s reading introduces us to his unbelief. Yesterday’s reading showed us promise and hope for the future. Today’s scriptures show us anxiety and misguided initiative.
One day Abram is full of faith. Ten years later, he is not. One day he is listening to God. Ten years later, he is not. One day he is waiting on God. Ten years later, he is not. One day he is influencing his wife to believe God’s promise. Ten years later, he’s not.
It has been ten years since God gave Abram the promise of great blessing. And being familiar with God keeping His promises to His people, I'm certain that God was actively involved in Abram’s life with many blessings in those 10 years...some recognized....but some probably not.
Abraham’s wife, Sarah, had become anxious about her not being able to conceive. So instead of believing God’s promise given to her husband, she sets aside her faith in God’s plan and comes up with one of her own. “Here honey, take my servant, Hagar, go into her and have a son for us...the heir that God promised.”
Now her impatience with God was not good. Her unbelief in God’s words was worse still. And suggesting that her husband take another woman to conceive his heir...that wasn't just desperate, that was shameful. (On this side of the story, we would have certainly counseled Sarah to wait on God’s timing and trust His power for conception.)
So...when we are inclined to rag on Sarah, saying, “That was just wrong sister...you knew better than that...then we read something worse.
Abraham listened to his wife...
(instead of God) ...
and bought into her plan...
...bedding Hagar, instead of telling his wife...
“Absolutely not!”...we will wait on the good promise and perfect timing of God.”
Abraham defaulted to the easiest path...forget God...forget morality...forget confronting your wife...and forget your husband/responsibility to lead your wife spiritually.
Ten years ago, faith was full in Abraham’s life and marriage. God was big and could be trusted. Now ten years later, faith was just about on empty. And God was small and insufficient to meet their needs.
Today in heaven, Sarah is only laughing at herself... and would eagerly remind us of the angel’s message to her so long ago..”Is there anything too hard for God?”
Wow...O how her message points us to our Savior Jesus...”Was death and burial too hard for Christ...no, his resurrection proved that”. Friends in Christ, “were all of our sins together too many for him to save us from?...No...our changed lives prove that.
Enjoy the rest of the story!
