Genesis 16
Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your power; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.
Genesis 16:6
Required Reading
Devotional
Genesis chapter 16 is messy. As Pastor Eric would say, “This is the first case of baby-momma drama in the Bible.” And trust us, there is more to come. Really, who needs TV when you have the Bible? Now, let’s look at the drama:
Abram and his wife Sarai had been awaiting the promise of a baby boy for ten years since being in Canaan (Genesis 16:3). They were only getting older. Fertility for Sarai was a laughing matter. Her womb seemed dead. So after ten years, they questioned the original message of the Lord and made some assumptions during the silence. It’s hard to continue to obey God when He goes silent. Let’s put a pin there. It was Sarai’s idea to include her slave Hagar in a plan to bear a son. By the way, Sarai probably obtained Hagar in chapter 12 when they ventured off to Egypt. Hagar has no control over this situation. She does what she is told.
As custom in her homeland, Sarai gives her slave to her husband to conceive a child on her behalf.
This makes things go from bad to worse. Completing God’s plan for Him almost always makes things worse. We know she was desperate. We know she was tired. We know she was embarrassed. However, now she invited dissension into her home and marriage. This is what happens when we invite sinful behavior into our lives. This is what can happen if we follow the culture of the world around us.
Sin is translated, “to miss the mark.” Abram and Sarai missed the mark on what God told them. He did not give them any instructions to do anything on their own. He showed them a promise and encouraged them to wait. Their first sin was impatience. Yes, ten years is a long time to wait, but according to God’s speed, it was too soon.
Look at how similar this story is to the Fall of Eden once sin is introduced. There was a desire to have a child, then a thought, “I can make this happen through my slave”. Similarly, Eve had a desire to become wise, then a thought, “This fruit can make me wiser, like God.” Our first takeaway is to watch out for what we desire. Secondly, thoughts can come from Satan. Be aware of what thoughts you obey. If it doesn’t align with God’s last instructions or the Bible, it’s a trap! Run!
The person who can persuade you the most is yourself. We can convince ourselves that almost anything is a good idea. This is why we need the Bible and Godly friends. We need things that will tell our flesh, “that sounds like Satan” or “that’s a bad idea that’s trying to satisfy the desires of your flesh.” Desires of themselves may not be a bad thing, but it turns sinful when it causes us to disobey God to get it.
Let’s conclude today with taking time to meditate on this scripture written by James the biological brother of Jesus:
Abram and his wife Sarai had been awaiting the promise of a baby boy for ten years since being in Canaan (Genesis 16:3). They were only getting older. Fertility for Sarai was a laughing matter. Her womb seemed dead. So after ten years, they questioned the original message of the Lord and made some assumptions during the silence. It’s hard to continue to obey God when He goes silent. Let’s put a pin there. It was Sarai’s idea to include her slave Hagar in a plan to bear a son. By the way, Sarai probably obtained Hagar in chapter 12 when they ventured off to Egypt. Hagar has no control over this situation. She does what she is told.
As custom in her homeland, Sarai gives her slave to her husband to conceive a child on her behalf.
This makes things go from bad to worse. Completing God’s plan for Him almost always makes things worse. We know she was desperate. We know she was tired. We know she was embarrassed. However, now she invited dissension into her home and marriage. This is what happens when we invite sinful behavior into our lives. This is what can happen if we follow the culture of the world around us.
Sin is translated, “to miss the mark.” Abram and Sarai missed the mark on what God told them. He did not give them any instructions to do anything on their own. He showed them a promise and encouraged them to wait. Their first sin was impatience. Yes, ten years is a long time to wait, but according to God’s speed, it was too soon.
Look at how similar this story is to the Fall of Eden once sin is introduced. There was a desire to have a child, then a thought, “I can make this happen through my slave”. Similarly, Eve had a desire to become wise, then a thought, “This fruit can make me wiser, like God.” Our first takeaway is to watch out for what we desire. Secondly, thoughts can come from Satan. Be aware of what thoughts you obey. If it doesn’t align with God’s last instructions or the Bible, it’s a trap! Run!
The person who can persuade you the most is yourself. We can convince ourselves that almost anything is a good idea. This is why we need the Bible and Godly friends. We need things that will tell our flesh, “that sounds like Satan” or “that’s a bad idea that’s trying to satisfy the desires of your flesh.” Desires of themselves may not be a bad thing, but it turns sinful when it causes us to disobey God to get it.
Let’s conclude today with taking time to meditate on this scripture written by James the biological brother of Jesus:
No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. James 1:13-15
Reflection Questions
- Have you taken time to ask God what you should be doing? Have you waited for His response?
- Do you think 10 years is a long time to wait for something? Can you recall a time when God told you about something, but it took a long time before it happened?
- Can you pinpoint a decision that you’ve made that brought tension to a relationship?
- What are some things you have desired to have in life? Have you taken matters into your own hands to obtain this desire?
- What do you think about James 1:13-15? Have you ever felt a part of yourself die due to sin being present in your life?
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