Read: Genesis 16:1-18:19; Matthew 6:1-24; Psalm 7:1-17; Proverbs 2:1-5
Sarai got impatient because God’s promise was not coming to pass so she decided she might need to help God. That sounds ridiculous but it is the temptation of man to hurry God along when God’s timing is perfect. It is not the end result that God is interested in as much as it is the process of getting there; it is all the lessons to be learned on the way.
Sarah’s impatience brought pain and sorrow for her, Abraham and Hagar. Hagar was the victim in the whole thing but she got a son out of the ordeal even if he was like a wild donkey. Most importantly, she had the most incredible experience of hearing God talk to her and she realized that God knew her and cared about her plight. She was honored to be able to name her son the name God had given her.
Fourteen years later, God met with Abram again and changed his name to Abraham and reestablished his covenant with him promising him the land and to make him a great nation. He gave him the sign of circumcision. He also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah and told him she would have a son and his name would be Isaac.
In Matthew, Jesus continued to teach us the way of his kingdom. He told us not to do our acts of kindness so that men would be impressed, but to do them quietly so that only heaven would see. Earth is not where our investments are going to pay off eternally. Heaven is where we want to store up our treasures. We cannot serve both God and money.
Our Proverbs says it all. Lord, help us to cry out for your wisdom and your treasures because they are truly more satisfying and greater than anything the earth can produce.
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