In the Beginning…

#6.  Sarah,

the Dangers of Running Ahead of God.

“The Lord has kept me from having children.

Go, sleep with my maidservant;

 perhaps I can build a family through her.”

Genesis 16:2

   We know that God wants to bless us. It is in His nature as a Father to give good things to His children. However, because we are like children, we want the blessings right now! We have difficulty waiting on His timing. What can we learn from Sarah, who struggled like we do in this regard?

• Remember that God’s Word is  _SURE_ , and therefore  _TRUSTWORTHY_.

• God has so far promised Abraham an heir at least _3_ times!

“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you...”

Genesis 12:2-  when Abraham was 75 years old

“All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.”

Genesis 13:15- after Abraham had returned from Egypt

“Look up at the heavens and count the stars- if indeed you can count them.”

Then He said to him (Abraham), “So shall your offspring be.”

Genesis 15:4, 5- some time after rescuing his nephew Lot

• But _10_ years had passed, and Sarah was getting nervous.

So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years,

 Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar

 and gave her to her husband to be his wife.

Genesis 16:3

• Check my _EXPECTATIONS_ -  did I hear God right?

• Check my _FACTS_ -  do I have all the information?

• Check my _MOTIVES_ -  why is this so important to me?

• Remember that God is more concerned with my  _CHARACTER_ than with my _COMFORT_.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness

 through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.

Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises,

 so that through them you may participate in the divine nature

 and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

2^nd Peter 1:3, 4

• Have I been faithful with what God has _ALREADY_GIVEN_ME_TO_DO_?

“Well done, good and faithful servant!

You have been faithful with a few things;

 I will put you in charge of many things.”

Matthew 25:21, 23

• Am I _BLAMING_ God for not acting?

“The Lord has kept me from having children…”

Genesis 16:2

• Am I allowing my relationships to be _JEOPARDIZED_ or _STRAINED_ by my unmet expectations?

He slept with Hagar, and she conceived…

Then Sarai said to Abraham,

 “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering…

May the Lord judge between you and me.”

…Then Sarai mistreated Hagar, so she fled from her.

Genesis 16:4-6

• Am I considering taking  _SHORTCUTS_ to gain God’s blessing?

“The Lord has kept me from having children.

Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her.”

Genesis 16:2

• Check my _OPTIONS_-  what doors has God clearly opened for me in this matter?

• Check my _METHODS_-  is what I’m doing, even if it is legal or culturally accepted, honoring to God?

Conclusion:  Since God is never in a _HURRY_, He is never  _LATE_! I can always trust Him to show up right on time!

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