Genesis 16

Sometimes God just takes too long. We know that he promised Abram he would be the father of a great nation. After waiting a long time Abram tried to help God out by appointing a servant as heir. God made it clear that he would provide a son, a son of Abram’s own flesh. Ten years later the son still had not arrived. Now Sarai was tired of waiting. This time she decides to help God out.

Her method of providing Abram a son is shocking to us, but in her day it was quite common and very acceptable. She told Abram to take her slave to be the mother of his child. Their culture had not yet learned that having intimacy outside of marriage results in broken relationships, sinful feelings and sinful behavior. When Hagar became pregnant she became prideful looked at Sarai with scorn. Sarai became jealous and hateful of her servant Hagar and treated her badly. Hagar fled.

This text makes clear for the first time that even when we are silent God sees us. Hagar had not called out to God. Even though she did not call out to him, he saw her plight. He sent a messenger to intervene on her behalf. He convinced her to return to the camp and repair her relationship with Sarai and Abram. She bore Abram a son, and he was named Ishmael. 

God made clear that Ishmael was not the promised son. Ishmael would father a nation, but it would not be the nation of promise. Sarai had gotten impatient and tried to do God’s work for him, and she had failed. She had made a mess and God had to clean it up.

We are sometimes likes Sarai. We do not believe god is working quickly enough. We believe that God has made us a promise but we’re tired of waiting. We’re going to help him out. We are going to kick some doors open, make some phone calls and shake things up. We are going to make it happen. We may make thing happen, but it will not be what God promised. After we’ve done our best we will find out it was not good enough. We can make a mess, or we can wait for God to keep His promise.