Genesis 16 is about a couple, Abraham and Sarah who get ahead of God. God told Abraham in Gen. 15:4 that his servant wouldn't be his heir but a son from his body. He was excited. At 85 he would soon be having a son. But with 75 year old Sarah? Impossible. Plus he had waited ten years and no kids. So the two of them take matters into their own hands. Sarah suggests that Abraham have a baby with her maidservant Hagar. If your spouse gives you permission to sin does that make it alright? Hagar got pregant.

Immediately that led to problems in their lives. Sex outside the plan of God always does. It doesn't make your life better, just more complicated. Hagar becomes proud, Sarah angry at Hagar and Abraham and Abe abdicates responsibility. The situation becomes intolerable for Hagar so she runs away.

She runs into the desert trying to get back home. Abraham and Sarah don't pursue her. They would have let her and the unborn child die in the desert. But God cares for the poor, the one on the run and the unborn. He has a conversation with Hagar to help her see if this is what she really wants. He tells her to go back. She calls Him "the God who sees me." If He sees her in the desert, He"ll see her in Abraham's home and see if she's being mistreated. That gave Sarah the courage to go back.

What Plan B are you contemplating putting into effect because God has delayed? What's your Hagar and Ishmael?