Lapses in faith lead to lapses in judgment. Lapses in judgment lead to sin and long-lasting consequences.
Gen. 16:3-4 “And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.”
LESSON - God was very specific regarding the unilateral covenant He had made unto Abram. An innumerable nation would come FROM SARAI. Their impatience led to poor decision making and they sought a plan to “help God out!” Their sin has led to consequences which have plagued the entire world to this day. Notice the results of their sin against God in V7-12 “And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be AGAINST EVERY MAN, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” The 2 things to learn from this experience:
1. Don’t rush ahead of God!
2. God does not need your help to accomplish what only He can do.
~Mike