Taking Matters into Your Own Hands

"So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him." -Genesis 16.15-16

Genesis 15 gives the account of an incredible moment Abram had with God. God promises him a biological son, and Abram believes God and enters into a right standing relationship with him. Then God seals the covenant with Abram by passing a smoking oven and a flaming torch between the halves of animals. Everything is in place for God to do great things. But we see more time pass, and with it probably some impatience, and maybe even some questioning.

And so Sari, Abram's wife, gives her maid to Abram, and with her, Abram has a son. The only problem is this is not the son of promise. This is the son of a slave, not of a free woman. And countless problems unfold because of this. Such is the case when we take matters into our own hands.

There is no mention of seeking God about this decision in chapter 16. Sari makes a decision, and Abram goes along with it. And today the world is still dealing with the outcome, but we may talk more about his later, so I don't want to get too far into it now.

When God makes a promise, we must never forget it. In the past when God has spoken, Abram built an altar, but it doesn't say anything about that in chapter 15. I doubt Abram forgot what God said, but the more time that passed, he probably began to wonder how and when the promise would be fulfilled. And then one day someone says something, and all of a sudden pieces start to get forced together. And when you force the pieces of a puzzle, it doesn't come out right.

When God makes a promise, we must seek Him about its fulfillment. The moment we begin to take matters into our own hands, trying to fulfill God's promises for Him, we begin to get off track. And the consequences could reach so march farther then we ever imagined. So let's keep our hands off, and let God be God. Let's patiently wait, holding firmly to the promise, and trusting Him to fulfill it in His time, and in His way.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor