Genesis 16:1-12 (NLT)
The Birth of Ishmael
16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. 3 So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan.)
4 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!”
6 Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.
7 The Angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur. 8 The Angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
“I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.
9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” 10 Then He added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.”
11 And the Angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress. 12 This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.”
God had promised Abram he would be the father of many nations yet Abram was still childless. He was tired of waiting for the Lord to fulfill His promise so he and his wife Sarai took matters into their own hands. It didnt turn out well. It caused strife between Abram and Sarai, the child Ismael and Hagar later get banned from Abrams presence and Ismael became the father of the Arab nation. Look at verse 12 again and thank Abram and Sarai!
When we take matters into our own hands and try to rush what God is doing, it doesn't turn out well. Nonetheless, God can turn it into a lesson, He can even use our mistakes for His glory.
If you're waiting for God to fulfill His promise, if you're waiting for God to use you, keep waiting. Don't rush it. The waiting is a period of preparation, it's a good time to practice patience.
As a side note, it was Jesus who spoke to Hagar in the wilderness. How do we know? It was THE Angel of the Lord. That's Jesus.
Blessings, Cecilia
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