More Than Delay--Gen. 16

"And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my handmaid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened unto his wife." Gen. 16:2

Abram's faithlessness has been the topic of many a debate and sermon. This pie has been sliced in almost every possible way: the story is familiar.

Sarai talks with Abram, stating that "the Lord hath restrained" her from having children. Giving this as an excuse, she bids him take Hagar, her Egyptian servant, as his second wife.

Abram, knowing that Sarai is not only barren, but also now very old, thinks that perhaps this is what the Lord meant. After all, it's a way to fulfill the promise, is it not?

Besides that, it's been ten long years of waiting and hoping. Ten years since the night that Abram "believed, and it was counted to him for righteousness" (Gen. 15: 6). Ten years...and no son. 

Bottom line is, Abram's tired of waiting. And so's Sarai.

And thus they adopt a practice that the heathen nations around them used, that of polygamy, to gain what they felt surely must be the fulfillment of the promised child.

What they got for their efforts was a child on the way--but a very unhappy family.

Sarai complains to Abram. So does Hagar. Hagar snubs her mistress, is dealt harshly with, and runs away into the desert. She collapses, weary from travel and still stinging at the thought of her mistress's harsh actions and words, by a fountain.

The Lord speaks to Hagar, tells her that her child will be a great nation. His name will be Ishmael. And He bids her return to her mistress and be subject to her. Come down off your pedestal, in other words. Return to your proper place.

Hagar listens. And obeys. And "she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after Him that seeth me?" (Gen. 16:13).

That's a really good question.

Had Hagar been looking toward Him who was watching her?

Had Abram, or Sarai?

Not at all.

In the hopes of the promise being fulfilled at last, they lost sight of the One who had made the promise, employed means that He did not sanction, and then called it Providence.

However, one thing remains.

The Lord had still promised. And the fulfillment--the true fulfillment--was still in the making. It was still coming.

In the words of a familiar song, "Wait a little longer, Child: the time will come in time."

The promise is still a promise.

Which means that it will come to pass...in His time.

This was more than delay. This was a test.

A test of faith. A test of courage. A test of that belief manifested in chapter 15.

It is more than delay. It is a test, to see if you will believe that the Lord is leading, was leading, and still will lead.

Even if the promise you expected turns out to be from a different source than originally thought.

A promise is a promise.

And delay is always more than delay.

Lord, bring me through each delay… Teach me to wait patiently.