Do You Ask First?

Genesis 16:1-2 -  Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.  So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.

We are not told what conversations Abram had with his wife Sarai about the promise God made to him. Even if they talked about the wonderful experience Abram had with the angel of God…they both must have been very confused about how it could ever come to pass. God had given them no clues to the details of his plan…and the chances of Sarai conceiving after so many years of barrenness weighed heavy on her heart.

The plan her heart contrived seemed perfect in thinking mode. She never imagined the horror it would create for all of them. No one saw the down side of this plan until it was too late to change their mind. Abram welcomed the humble gift his wife gave him…Hagar became prideful .. boasting of her accomplishments and used her newfound status as a wife to create discourse between her rival wife …and Sarai’s heart grew weak and bitter...letting hate drive her to treat Hagar with harshness.

It is a clear picture of what happens when we don’t ask God what to do and begin to use our own logic to map out the pathway to the things we know God has promised. Sarai never asked God what to do.  She never asked God how he planned to give them a family if she was barren.

There was another girl….about a year before our Messiah was born that was given a promise of God. Her first thoughts were questions for the angel that visited her. The angel gave her all the details she needed to carry out God’s plan to merge human DNA with his own.

I admit quickly that I am more of a Sarai than a Mary. I am learning to ask more…but I still let the business of life …the logic of the mind…and plain old forgetfulness that I can’t blame on old age drive me to make way too many decisions without stopping to ask first. The thing that amazes me most is how God loves me despite my tendency to jump ahead of him. Just as he comforted Hagar …he comforts us when we realize our mistake. Some of the consequences of our choices may linger for the rest of our life…but God restores the situation back to his perfect will in his timing.

Father…thank you for the reminder to ask you before acting on our feelings. Forgive me for the times that I don’t stop to ask you what to do…and jump ahead of your timing. Teach me how to drop to my knees in humble prayer to seek your will in all that I do and say. Amen.