“What Sarai did may seem incomprehensible, yet if we’re honest, how many times do we impatiently wait for God’s timing in our own lives? We can all relate to ignoring God’s rules and writing our won as we confess to our failed attempts to expedite God’s timing by taking matters into our own hands.”- Esther Fleece Allen
“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; so she said to Abram, ‘The Lord ahs kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.’ Abram agreed to what Sarai said.”- Genesis 16:1-2 (NIV)
In Chapter 7 (“Your New Names Are Better Than You Can See for Yourself”) of Your New Name, Esther Fleece Allen makes an important observation. She states that when names provoke fear in us, they limit the gifts we receive from God. Furthermore, all of us experience pains, longings silenced, and longings not yet realized.
Both Abram and Sarai received the blessings of God and the promise of descendants. Yet, they faced the problem of infertility. Also, God gave both new names – Abraham (‘father of many’) and Sarah. However, as the years wore on, both struggled with the pain of a hope deferred. Finally, Sarai took matters into her own hands. As a result, she bowed to the enormous pressure at that time for women to bear children, especially sons.
While Sarai wanted one child, God desired a lineage that spanned generations. Thus, we need patience to see God’s substantial plans come to fruition. So, Esther points out, God didn’t need Sarai’s help to speed up the process. Nor does He need our help in the process of receiving our new name.
In conclusion, Esther asks us to think about Hagar, the pawn in Abraham’s and Sarah’s scheme. Esther writes:
“In Hagar’s worry and fear, God saw her and took care of her. . . . Even when we’ve been wronged and cast aside by others, God sees us for who we are. He does not get hung up on our labels. He sees us in the whole of our unique identity created just for us.”
Today’s question: What Scriptures help you when you impatiently wait for God’s timing? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A greater level of service, sacrifice”
