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Daily Devotion: Genesis 16:1-2

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Genesis 16:1-2    "Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.  (2)  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai."

God had just affirmed His promise to Abram concerning his seed inhabiting the land that had been promised to Abram. He gave Abram the token of that promise that is found back in chapter 15. "And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.  (10)  And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not." (Genesis 15:9-10) This was a process with which Abram would have been familiar.  If a king's promise was not true, then he would be cut in pieces. God was saying that He would cease to be God if His promise was not true.  We have that token plainly spoken in the New Testament.  "Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;  (2)  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;" (Titus 1:1-2)

God promised a son to Abram, but he decided to listen to Sarai instead of God. The consequence of his listening to another is still being felt today. Strife was the result of Abram taking Hagar, Sarai's handmade. She gave birth to a son named Ishmael which later would cause problems for the son actually promised, named Isaac. The descendants of Ishmael are still fighting against the descendants of Isaac to this very day.

The point of today's lesson is found in this thought.  We often hear people say something like this, "I know God's Word says ________, but I'm going to do things my way."   We bring problems on ourselves anytime we take our own thoughts, or someone else's thoughts, instead of God's.  "... let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Romans 3:4)

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