Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar;
Today’s verses bring to mind the saying, “Either man says to God, ‘Thy will be done,” or God will say to man, ‘Thy will be done.” Either we are going to follow what we think God is calling us to do or we are going to do what we want, ignoring God’s call and inserting our own will. Commentary says, “Whatever a man or woman attempts to do without God will be a miserable failure – or an even more miserable success.”
Genesis 16:2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said.
However, my heart aches for Sarai in this passage. She hasn’t had multiple reassurances from God, she longs for a child, and she is facing, yet again, an empty womb and empty arms. Many of us know that anguish. I cannot stand in judgment of her actions. Yet God calls us to trust Him always, to trust His plan for us, to trust His timing for us. Jesus, Help us.
Genesis 16:3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife.
Precious Savior, Sometimes it is so easy to trust that You have a plan for us, to give us hope and a future. Sometimes, though, when Your plan and ours don’t line up, it is so incredibly difficult to trust Your timing, Your path. Help us, always, to say to You, “Thy will be done,” to walk in faith, to trust You. Help us understand what that means. Help us to follow through in faithfulness. Help us, Jesus. Amen.
Genesis 16:4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.
Have a blessed day.