QT 9/1/2025 Gen 16:1-6, Trusting God versus doing God's work

Genesis 16:1–6 (ESV) —

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. 4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. 5 And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!” 6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

 

NOTE: I think the thing I struggle with the most concerning God's will is the balance between prudent action and getting my sticky fingers involved (an American idiom for influencing a decision in the way that you want). How much effort should be prudent steps of actions (things I ought to do) and how much needs to be based on faith? In this case, impregnating a surrogate mother, even if the custom of the time allowed it and your wife's idea, it seems to be going too far. But Abram's failure is not so much the listening to his wife (although this time she was wrong), but not communicating truth to her. Abram is not recorded as having said anything, at least until the situation was over. Abram needed to be the spiritual leader, but he did not stand up to his responsibility. Why? Did he give in to the lust of the flesh? Maybe, he had said something earlier but was tired about the issue of barrenness. Sari has lived with this burden her entire married life. I'm sure it wore her out. I can't imagine her anguish and pain. But God's word is not cancelled because the pain is too great or the emotional need too high.

 

PONDER:

1. What decision am I waiting upon God to answer?
2. What are the prudent actions? And what are the actions that go too far? It is good to decide these early.

 

PRAYER: Father, it is easy to criticize Abram and Sarai, although we are not any better. We all fail in many ways, and sometimes are too blind to notice the things we do. Father, help us to trust. Protect us from actions that only will create more pain in the long run.