)
"...no children. But..."
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.”
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. (Genesis 16:1-2, NIV)
(Context Genesis
16)
Have you ever experienced a high point in your
relationship with God only to follow it with falling flat on your
face? God had just clearly confirmed His covenant with Abram (Genesis
15).
He promised Abram and Sarai an heir although they were too
old to have children. But, moving mountains doesn't always mean
getting out the pick and shovel. That's the lesson Abram and Sarai
learned. They set out to make God's promise happen using the standard
means of their day, but the result only left them with trouble and
strife. While Ishmael means "God hears," it sounds similar
to a word meaning "wilderness" or "wasteland."
Following God's will doesn't mean sitting passively
waiting. It means submitting to God's standards, not improvising with
popular shortcuts. Impatient improvisations often lead to wasted
effort, exhaustion, and despair. Planning
by the world's standards is an educated guess at best. Living by
Christ's
example
leads to the confidence that God
is at work in our lives.
©2002 Perry Vernon Webb. You may quote this
page in part or the whole as long as you
1) do not
alter the wording and
2) reference this Internet page
as the source of the quote.
Related
page:
Galatians
4:22-23: Abraham's example of faith
How to receive a new life in Christ.
Click
next to Bible references to open Logos
Bible Software Series X directly to the passage. Learn
more about linking directly to Logos and find other web sites
that support integrated Bible study.
Email: [email protected]