Genesis 16

We saw a hint of Abram's disbelief regarding God's promise that he will have more descendants than there are stars in the sky (about 8,000, according to a somewhat pedantic NIV study note), but Abram's dubiousness has now festered, manifesting itself in his actions. Sarai tells Abram that, since it looks like she won't be bearing kids, he should get it on with one of his slaves, Hagar. "Well, if you absolutely insist," Abram replies, probably rushing off to the sack to get busy before Sarai can have second thoughts.

A Mutual Antipathy Society develops between Sarai and Hagar, to the point where Sarai blames Abram for her misery. Abram, in an action eerily echoed by Pontius Pilate's hand ablutions thousands of years later, tells his wife to do with Hagar what she likes. Driven into the desert, Hagar is told by a messenger from God that her son, Ishmael, will be a wild man who won't get along with basically anyone. And, according to tradition, he became the ancestor of the Arabs (including Muhammed--the Islam one, not Ali).

This whole story illustrates how poor decisions, made without God's guidance, often spiral into maelstroms of malice and regret. It all started with an innocuous desire--to have children. It ended with accusation, shirking of responsibility, abuse, and suffering. Abram/Abraham is probably better known for his faithful qualities, but his mistakes remind us of humankind's sinful nature. Now, I'm not going to launch into a fire and brimstone sermon about we are doomed and America is going to hell--I don't know about you, but if I were an atheist or agnostic, a message like that would drive me away from the real good news of Christ's sacrifice for us. But I am, in fact, a Christian, and I need constant reminders of how I need God in my life.

I'm not going to relate some juicy story about how one of my attempts to take matters into my own hands led to an imbroglio because this is not my private Dear Diary. (I think a fellow named George Kaplan stole my diary.) But there have been times when my selfish actions have inconvenienced or frustrated others. Of course, I feel like a miserable wretch afterwards--again, perhaps that's God nudging me. I can write all this, but changing my attitude so my actions reflect God will require me to put my trust in Christ, allowing Him to work in and through me.