Genesis 16:1–16 (ESV)
Sarai and Hagar
16 Now
Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.
Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife,
took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. 4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.
5 And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between
you and me!” 6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.
I laugh every time I read this. From a man’s point of view, could you imagine your wife coming to you and suggesting
that you sleep with the female servant? I imagine that he said “Oh honey, do you really think I should? Will that make you feel better… honey? Do I have to sleep with her, can’t we just cuddle? Nooooo! Abram,
a man of God, should have known better! Even if his wife is suggesting it! This is trouble in the making! Jealousy sets in on Sarai! The real issue is not that Sarai suggested that Abram sleep with her servant. The real issue
is that they don’t trust God to provide a child through Sarai.
I pray: O Lord, help us to be patient and trusting of you and your Word.
Too often, we try to do it our way and we lose. We fall short. Help us to do it your way. Amen.