How often do we choose to meet our needs and desires through illegitimate means? I'm thinking of the story of Abraham and Sarah in the book of Genesis in the Jewish scriptures (Gen. 16). It is a helpful metaphor, I believe. Sarah and Abraham had been promised a son, but many years, even decades, had passed without a pregnancy. Sarah's desires and legitimate need of having a child to satisfy her longings and avoid disgrace remained unmet. In her frustration and even agony, Sara decided to give her maid to Abraham that she might have a son via a surrogate. In other words, Sarah wanted to help God fulfill his promise by coming up with her own plan. Abraham obliged her scheme, and Ishmael was born. However, God made it clear that He had another plan to be fulfilled through a son birthed by Sarah years later.
Decades ago, God used this story in my life, bringing it to my mind in a very clear way when I was contemplating taking matters into my own hands to fulfill what I believed was a call of God upon my life. It was almost as though an audible voice broke into my psyche reminding me to wait. For me, that waiting was another eight years. There were many times during that long interim that I despaired of ever seeing the fulfillment of that calling, but I could not deny the clear admonition to stay clear of manipulation. I can look back in confidence believing that what happened with regard to that situation was divinely ordained, albeit filled with challenges, and it has remained a lesson for me for my response to other things. I don't know what would have happened if I had not listened to that voice in my head, if I had manufactured a solution on my own, but I do know that what did eventually happen would have been lost. Only God knows what the ultimate consequences would have been had I moved forward on my own.
I do know some of the pain and loss that occurred as a result of Sarah's management of her situation. As I think about the consequences of Sarah's action in the ancient text, I am acutely aware of the trauma and pain to multitudes of people that it caused. At the micro level, Hagar and Ishmael, not to mention Abraham, suffered intense loss and hardship as a result; at the macro level, alienation between whole people groups developed that continue to this day, all a result of one desperate decision. It's a story worth mulling over when faced with situations of angst, of interminable waiting, of seeming helplessness. The temptation is to forge ahead with whatever would appear to meet the need, provide an answer, or furnish relief. It's also easy to rationalize that kind of response to desperation. It can make so much sense. Unfortunately, when in that type of situation, decisions based on pain response are many times detrimental or even disastrous in the long run, and they pull us out of faithful dependence on the presence and love of God. Many times the consequences are far reaching. I don't doubt that this is a ubiquitous temptation that when indulged causes great suffering and robs us of the joy of seeing God ultimately work beauty in our lives.
Are we willing to wait for "Isaac"? Where are the places in our lives that we are seeking to speed things along, to answer our own prayers, to take matters into our own hands regardless of the consequences? God give us patient endurance to faithfully wait for his promise.
Decades ago, God used this story in my life, bringing it to my mind in a very clear way when I was contemplating taking matters into my own hands to fulfill what I believed was a call of God upon my life. It was almost as though an audible voice broke into my psyche reminding me to wait. For me, that waiting was another eight years. There were many times during that long interim that I despaired of ever seeing the fulfillment of that calling, but I could not deny the clear admonition to stay clear of manipulation. I can look back in confidence believing that what happened with regard to that situation was divinely ordained, albeit filled with challenges, and it has remained a lesson for me for my response to other things. I don't know what would have happened if I had not listened to that voice in my head, if I had manufactured a solution on my own, but I do know that what did eventually happen would have been lost. Only God knows what the ultimate consequences would have been had I moved forward on my own.
I do know some of the pain and loss that occurred as a result of Sarah's management of her situation. As I think about the consequences of Sarah's action in the ancient text, I am acutely aware of the trauma and pain to multitudes of people that it caused. At the micro level, Hagar and Ishmael, not to mention Abraham, suffered intense loss and hardship as a result; at the macro level, alienation between whole people groups developed that continue to this day, all a result of one desperate decision. It's a story worth mulling over when faced with situations of angst, of interminable waiting, of seeming helplessness. The temptation is to forge ahead with whatever would appear to meet the need, provide an answer, or furnish relief. It's also easy to rationalize that kind of response to desperation. It can make so much sense. Unfortunately, when in that type of situation, decisions based on pain response are many times detrimental or even disastrous in the long run, and they pull us out of faithful dependence on the presence and love of God. Many times the consequences are far reaching. I don't doubt that this is a ubiquitous temptation that when indulged causes great suffering and robs us of the joy of seeing God ultimately work beauty in our lives.
Are we willing to wait for "Isaac"? Where are the places in our lives that we are seeking to speed things along, to answer our own prayers, to take matters into our own hands regardless of the consequences? God give us patient endurance to faithfully wait for his promise.
