Holy Devotion
Bible Devotional
Genesis 16:2-4 - "Helping" God

Scripture:

Genesis 16:2-4
2 So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.  Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
3 After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.
4 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.
NASU


Thoughts:

The Bible doesn't really say why Sarai comes up with this terrible plan.  It's possible she feared what would happen to her should the aged Abram die without an heir.  In any case, she devises this dreadful compromise in order to (she thinks) fulfill God's promise to Abram.

But then something happens she did not expect, Hagar becomes haughty once she is pregnant.  For all these childless years in Abram and Sarai's marriage, there had to be a question as to whom was the cause of their state.  Now it was clear.  Hagar had been able to do with Abram what Sarai never could, and Hagar now felt some mastery over her mistress.  So continues this ugly tale.

The point I take away from this is to not try to help God to accomplish His will or to obtain the desires of our hearts.  Our plans may look good to us, but anything apart from living in faith is sin, and so often leads to unintended negative consequences.  In the end, only God can accomplish His will or any good in our lives:

James 1:17
17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
NASU

We do well to keep our eyes on the divine Provider, and leave the provision to Him.


Prayer:

Help me Lord to wait on You for the things dear to my heart.  Your ways and Your timing are perfect.  Help my unbelief.  Help me to leave my life in Your trustworthy hands.

Amen

 
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