Love God Greatly - Faith Over Perfection预览

Read: Genesis 16:1–6; Proverbs 3:5, 16:9

SOAP: Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.

In Genesis 12 God made Abram a promise. God promised to give Abram many descendants, a land of his own, and to make him a blessing for all nations. As we read in Genesis 16, years have passed, and Abram has yet to see any of God’s promises fulfilled. God did, however, continue to confirm His promise to Abram, making a covenant with Abram and solidifying the promise - but Abram was still waiting.

The first time the promise was in jeopardy was when there was a famine in the land. The land was barren, unable to produce food, unable to support Abram and his camp, let alone descendants that would be too numerous to count. Abram went to Egypt and returned with many possessions, including female servants. Hagar was very likely one of these servants.

Like the land during that famine, Sarai was also barren. She was unable to have children. How could God possibly fulfill His promise to give Abram many descendants if his wife was not only barren but past the age of childbearing? Once again Abram doubted. Once again, the barrenness seemed beyond what God could redeem. And once again, Abram turned to Egypt for refuge. 

By choosing to have a child with Hagar, Abram took matters into his own hands. He knew what God had promised but he did not believe God could fulfill His promise without his intervention. Abram received many wonderful things when he left Egypt, but one of those things led him to further unbelief. The blessing of a son through Hagar was indeed a wonderful thing as well, but it was not what God had promised. While it can be possible to save ourselves from desperate situations (like famine or childlessness), sometimes wonderful things are not God’s best for us.

As we watch the rest of Abram’s story play out we’ll see how his lack of faith in these situations caused tension and strife in his family. But we’ll also see how the God of promise allows nothing to stand in the way of His will, not even our seemingly heroic attempts to save ourselves. 

Prayer

Father God, You alone are the Promise Keeper. I repent of my constant attempts to bring about Your will. Help my unbelief! Help me to trust You and not lean on my own understanding. You alone know what is best for me. I choose to trust You today. Amen.