The Old Testament just makes me laugh sometimes. My Old Testament passage today was about Sarah. We've all heard her story a few dozen times I'm sure. How desparate she was to have a child and how it just didn't happen for her. So what did she do? She decided to have Abraham marry her maid Hagar so they could conceive and she could have a family that way.... How Jerry Springer of her! I'm sure it seemed a great idea at the time but as often happens when we try to manipulate our circumstances, it back fired on her. I would imagine she and Hagar were pretty tight before all of this - how else would Sarah pick her to have a child with her husband? But as soon as Hagar became pregnant, the jealousy and resentment set in with poor Sarah and she got mean. She was so mean in fact, that Hagar ran away. God sent an angel to tell Hagar to go back and take the abuse! I can't imagine why God would want her back in an abusive situation but He did. I think I can understand Sarah's reaction - not that I agree with it - but as awful as she was through this, God still blessed her late in life with her own son and allowed her to be the mother of many important generations to come. This is not just Jerry Springer material, I think Dr. Phil could tape a few interesting episodes from this as well.
I guess why it intrigues me so is that many times through the Old Testament we see God's people behaving badly. We see them hurting each other, cheating, telling lies, being jealous, stealing, etc. But somehow, some way God still used these people and often used their sin in a way that accomplished His goals. (or I guess more appropriately worked around their sin). I have a tendency to want to manipulate my sitation as well. I am admittedly alot like Sarah. I grow unhappy about something and feel empowered to change it. Often when I do manipulate, I regret it later OR I get like Sarah....jealous and resentful. But sometimes - I see where my action might have actually been the best thing even though it may have not worked out the way I thought it would. I find God used that situation for His greater good even though my intentions were manipulative. It is such a mystery to me how this happens but I see it ALL the time!
So what should I take from this? God is in charge and I know this. But, like Sarah, I'm impatient and ready to act. I certainly don't want to end up jealous, resentful and abusive so I hesitate. I try to wait upon God to do His thing. But I'm just itching to go for it.... Regardless, I believe He will work around whatever I do. What would have been different if Sarah had waited on God? Would her life have been better? How would Hagar have been different? Maybe Sarah and Hagar would have remained BFFs but Hagar would have never had Ishmael. It is my opinion that Hagar would have endured a lifetime of abuse if that's what it took to have her son... but maybe not. And poor Abraham....caught in that love triangle. PSH! You know he had to have loved it - 2 women fighting over him... *hee*
Ok back to work.... just had to do a little word purge. That passage was buggin me this morning.
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