A large part of life centers around anticipation. Christmas, vacations, mission trips, sporting events are filled with exciting anticipations. All grow in value because of the hours we spend looking forward to them—eagerly running through our minds the fun, challenges, and excitement they bring. Any mother can tell you that waiting to give birth is an experience that builds patience. But pity the poor mother elephant! It takes about 22 months for an unborn elephant to mature to birth! The shark known as the spiny dogfish has a pregnancy duration of 24 months. And at elevations above 4,600 feet, the Alpine salamander endures a gestational period of up to 38 months!
When I call customer ‘no service’ nobody likes to the message: “No one is available to answer your call now, please wait for the next available representative.” To be patient in situations where I have no control becuase frustration and impatience can block me in reaching my objectives. In getting impatient and giving up, we may waste opportunities to serve others. Waiting is not easy. Waiting for a baby to be born is long wait. Important things in life requires a wait. Or conversely, important decisions must be made with a lot of waiting and thinking.
In Genesis 15, we see The Eleazer alternative. Abraham was asking God, “I dont have any children. Is Eleazer going to be the descendant you are talking about?” Abram’s understanding of God’s plan was limited to his perception about it. In Chapter 16, Sarai comes up with another plan, that she thought was going to be a workable plan since she concluded that she would not be able to bear children any more.
The plan of Sarai to have Hagar as a child bearing mother for Abraham ended in what I call the' Ishmael predicament.' Eventhough it was a common and accepted practice in that day does not mean that it was the right thing to do for Abram and Sarai. We have heard that “God helps those who help themselves.” It does not work if we take God out of the pictur. You notice that God is strangely absent from the first six verses of chpater 16. Hagar was undoubtedly part of what Abram received during his time in Egypt (Genesis 12:16). Abram and family migrated to Egypt for some time due to a famine (Gen 12). Abram was blessed while in Egypt but he has to face consequences of his actions in going to Egypt and not waiting on God. He returned with a lot of weatlth along with several servants form Egypt. These have huge, far reaching consequences!! Because of Egypt trip Hagar, Ishmael, and some Arab nations became part of Abram's history.
Many people believe that Sarai was trying to figure out whose medical issue was the reason for the infertility. Sarai knew the promise of God (that Abram would be the father of many nations), yet she thought she was the problem with God’s promise being fulfilled. Was it really hers or was it Abram’s? Sarai probably wanted to do a medical test - to find out if Abraham or Sarai had the issue. Then the worst thing from Sarai’s perspective happened - it succeeded. We let lesser “goods” eclipse our acceptance of the everlasting goodness of God in our lives. The fleeting nature of lesser goods will ultimately disappoint us.
Many churches are 'helping out' God by various means. Only Holy Spirit can convict people of sins. You see great revival campaigns no results and large church memberships with no doctrinal basis. Apparent success does not mean it is God’s will. Sarai had a plan, but it was not God’s plan. Eve had a plan in the garden of Eden too!
Now the servant girl Hagar started despising Sarah who in turn treats her harshly. The situation became so bad that Hagar had to run away while she was carrying the baby. Sarai blamed the whole situation on Abram. When our plans go wrong, we get angry at ourselves, angry at others and angry at God. Rightfully, a leader has the accountability and responsibility for every decision. Abram should have told his wife God was able to perform what He promised. Instead, Abram seemed to make a bad situation worse by turning the situation over to Sarai. We have accountability, ultimately to family, to society and to God. We have responsibility - to raise family, care for children etc. Responsibility may be bestowed, but accountability must be taken on. Accountability assumes ownership to make sure the result is accomplished. It is a personal choice to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrate the ownership necessary for achieving desired results to: "See It, Own It, Solve It, and Do It.” You can be given or bestowed responsibility by someone. But you can only assume accountability.
When we don't step up, but pass on responsibilities, terribly complicated and difficult situations often arise. "Oh what a tangled web we weave" said the poet Walter SCott.
We get trapped by our own nets. Hope is not a one time thing but is a long term investment. In Psalm 25:5 David says, "my hope is in you all day long." "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful" (Heb. 10:23). God’s timing seldom matches our expectations. "Blessed are all who wait for him” (Isaiah 30:18).
Hagar was trying to solve the problem by running away. Jonah ran away from his problem but found out the hard way that God's plan was better. David wished he could run away in Psalm 55:6, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest." God asks Hagar her to return to Sarai. We can suppose that Hagar might have received very different counseling from many counselors today (divorce counsellors and attorneys). God’s plan is to restore and not to destroy. There is danger in running ahead of God.
Although Abraham may have faltered on occasions throughout his life’s journey he continued to trust in God and demonstrated this by his actions, and despite his faults God was pleased to call him 'friend' (James 2:23). Ishmael would become the father of all the Arabic people. Muslims believe that Ishmael was the firstborn of Abraham. They also believe that Muhammad was the descendant of Ishmael. Once grown, Ishmael, according to the Bible, (Genesis 21:21) married an Egyptian woman. But the Arabs say he also married a daughter of Sheik Mudad, who bore Adnan, the ancestor of Mohammed, the founder of Islam. In the book of Galatians (4:21–31), Paul uses the incident to symbolize the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. Hagar is associated with the Sinai covenant, while Sarah is associated with the covenant of grace into which her son Isaac enters.
Hebrews 10:36 says, "Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that He has promised." It is not a change of climate we need, but a change of heart. “Abraham, the father for us all, who against hope believed in hope that he might become the father of many nations.” (Romans 4:18). John MacArthur, in his commentary on this passage, says it this way: “No matter what our situation, our suffering, our pain, our lack of faith in those things, as well as in all other things may be, our heavenly Father will work to produce our ultimate victory and blessing. Any temporary harm we may suffer will be used by God for our benefit.” Bad things, by themselves may not produce good results. But by God’s will and His working, even the most painful ones will work together for our good. Ordinary table salt, for example, is composed of two poisons, Sodium and Chlorine. But when combined together we have Sodium Chloride, the great table salt that gives taste to our food.
A mother's testimony I received is shared here: "When my baby was thrown out of a car during a violent car crash, she spent a year in coma. The doctors tried to get me to pull her plug and end her life. I was finally so distraught that I almost pulled her plug and my plug as well. Finally, even though I didn't want to, I gave my daughter up to God. I gave Him the circumstance she was in -- blind, on life support, unable to speak. When I did, He did not heal her, instead, he gradually began to heal my heart. It took a lot of time. Now, 15 years later, my daughter is still terribly disabled, but both our hearts are healed. My daughter is joyful she is alive. And so am I. That can happen for you too. Someday you will be reunited with the ones you may have lost, the circumstances that hurt you will be changed, the sun will come out, the flowers will bloom, and you will smile.”
Sometimes waiting is meant to heal us than the getting the results. Our hearts and souls will be healed when we wait on our prayers. God has a better plan than ours. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11). God is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20).
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
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