Throughout Abram’s life there are many stumbles in his faith journey.  He often gets it right and is remembered in history for his faith.  When he messes up he messes up big though and Genesis 16 is one such occasion.  Let’s look at it together today. 

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.

Abram and Sarai have now been promised multiple times that their decedents will be greater than the stars in the sky.  Not only has doubt crept in but even contempt.  Sarai says that it is God who has prevented her from having children.  Abram and Sarai decide to take matters into their own hands.  The result is that they end up making things worse.  That’s usually the way it is when we try things our own way instead of waiting on God.  What are you expecting or waiting on God for today?  Turn to Him in prayer instead of trying things your way.  When we patiently wait on God He has a way of showing up even bigger than we hoped and prayed for. 

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave