Insecure Plan

Insecure Plan

Genesis 16: Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. ² So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. ³ Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. ⁴ So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.

 

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Abram seemed to have a close relationship with Sarai, his wife. He told her everything the LORD said to him. She may have seen his face light up as he talked about having so many descendants, humans could not count them. But they tried and tried and could not have children. Sarai may have felt terrible, so she thought up a plan.

 

My Observations:

• Sarai may have acquired Hagar after the LORD caused a drought in the original land, sending them to Egypt.
• Sarai’s Chaldean beliefs may have differed from Abram.
• Sarai came up with a plan based on her insecurities.

 

Hearing the stories about Shem, Abram’s ancestor, may have seemed like a fairytale to Sarai. Possibly raised as a Chaldean, people were also property in Sarai’s eyes. She could simply take the child because Hagar was considered her property. When her plan worked and the child was born, it made her feel worse, knowing she was barren versus Abram being infertile.

 

Sarai’s insecure plan would prove to be very difficult. Later we will see just how problematic this decision was. Sarai’s plan is not much different than yours or mine when we take matters in our own hands. She may have even sprinkled GOD in her plan, thinking it was HIS fault for causing the drought that sent them to Egypt, almost causing her to be taken by the Egyptians. The plan may have been caused by pain. BUT GOD knew about the plan.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD mention Sarai and Hagar to Moses?
• Have you ever heard a promise from GOD and tried to steer the outcome with your own plan?
• Is your relationship with GOD secure enough to allow HIM to do things HIS way and in HIS time?