RUSHING AHEAD OF GOD

Genesis 16:1-16: Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.” 6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. 7 Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” 9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her: “Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction. 12 He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” 13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered. 15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

The Bible tells us that Abraham is called the father of faith and serves as one of God’s major examples to us of how faith is grown as we walk with God.  He not only reveals to us the success of walking and waiting on God, but he also shows the tragedy that can happen in our lives when we run ahead of God -- sometimes even thinking that we can do God’s will our way.  In all likelihood, most of us are waiting on God for something in our lives.  It is also likely that some of us have made choices that were wrong, and then found the consequences for the wrong choice difficult to deal with, and then made a second wrong choice to correct the consequences for the first wrong choice.  Wrongs, to correct a wrong, can never please God.

God has been clear that He has a will, a plan for the lives of those who have truly believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior.  Since that is the truth, when we do God’s will our way it is disobedience.  The end does not justify the means we use to get what we want, or what we think God wants, in a way that God has not approved.  We often find ourselves with some tension and temptation while we are waiting on God to answer a promise He has made, but He appears to be taking too long in the process of time.  This account that involves Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar show us that when what God expected has been neglected, rejected and even disrespected, it can open the door for conflict and trouble that can last for many years.  Though we see and believe that God can keep our life’s purpose straight when we have made crooked choices, we can never presume that all consequences will be erased or won’t affect the quality of our lives.  Many of us settle for God’s second best instead of waiting a little while longer for His desired first best.

Prayer:  Father in heaven, we know that You hear us and that You are intimately in tuned to the desires of our hearts.  Please make me to know what Your will is for me and grant me, please, the urgency of heart that motivates me and the spiritual sensitivity to hear You when You speak to my heart.  In Jesus Name I pray, amen.

(by Pastor Wayne Cockrell)