“His will, His time, His way”

Abram and Sarai had grown impatient with GOD’S promise to give them an heir. In Genesis 15:2-3, Abram proposed Eliezer, the steward of his house. Abram is quickly informed that this one would not be his heir, rather, the child GOD had prepared would come from the bloodline of he and Sarai. Abram believed GOD and scriptures says, it was counted unto him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:5) However, in spite of Abram’s belief, he, and his wife Sarai attempted to produce an heir via Sarai’s handmaid, Hagar. (Genesis 16:2-3) As a result of Abram and Hagar’s adultery, a child was conceived. Yet, what Sarai, thought she wanted, was more than she could bear. As result of Hagar being with child and Sarai being barren, their relationship took a drastic turn. The BBE version of (V4) says, Hagar, “…no longer had any respect for her master’s wife.” After Sari expressed her feelings to Abram, he instructed her to do as she pleased with her hand maid. Sarai, dealt harshly with Hagar. The word hardly or harshly is the idea of looking down on or brow beating. Hagar ultimately fled from her mistress as a result of Sarai’s ill treatment toward her. Yet Hagar was told to return and submit herself to her mistress. She would bear a child and his name would be Ishmael, through whom more troubles would come. There is much more to the story of Abram, Sarai, Hagar, Ishmael, and Isaac, however, one simple point to make from the selected text in Genesis 16 is, when we attempt to force GOD’S hand rather than submitting ourselves to His will, in His time, in faith, we make a royal mess of things. While Abram (Abraham) and Sarai (Sarah), display tremendous faith before and after this, (Genesis 12:1-3, 15:2-3, 21:18, 22, Hebrews 11:8-12, Romans 4) in this instance we see a colossal failure of faith and the destructive fallout. Let us seek to trust, that in His time, His will, will be accomplished in His way.