GENESIS 16 PROBLEMS AT HOME When I saw the wonder of the covenant of Abram with his God, it seemed like everything should have been perfect after that. But the first Test of faith came from a place most unexpected - at home, from his wife. A man in his mid-eighties would think it very unlikely he would have a new-born son. As a consequence of his own natural expectations, his patience broke under the testing of time and the voice of his wife.
There are times it seems when we are most vulnerable to the Temptation to take things into our own hands. Even after we have experienced high and lofty spiritual experiences, we are still susceptible to the subtlety of our own nature. The Egyptian woman, Hagar, who he probably got as a servant for his wife when they were in Egypt, was used to turn Abram away from the path of faith. Faith is not fragile, but when turned away from, the world is right there to take our time, attention and passion. Moreover, when the world has claimed us even for a short time, it is always there afterward to charge us with guilt, take our time, demand our attention and seek the prominent place in our life.
I learn from this test and temptation that came to Abram, the Teaching, that there is a covenant that leads to bondage, and one that leads to liberty. The law leads to bondage as in the case of the bondwoman, Hagar. The law can never be satisfied. Its demands allow for no freedom and no true fulfillment. Also, the law will just increase the sense of guilt because of the failure of our faith and will continually make demands for our conformity to it. Even when one seeks to do what it says, there is no possibility of satisfying it, for by it is the knowledge of sin, not freedom from sin.
Strangely too, there is the Tendency to go back under the law, even though we have been made free from the law of sin and death. There is some sort of perverse bent, an inclination to want rules to direct us rather than faith. If there is a list of rules for us to live by, we can pride ourselves if we keep them. But a serious problem comes from that attempt when we find ourselves unable to fulfill the law. We find that to have any sense of self-satisfaction, we have to change what the law says to suit our inability to keep it.
Then there arises another and even more serious problem. We find others who are trying to do the same thing have made changes to what they think the law means. Their changes are not the same as my changes. So, who is right? This leads us to "bite and devour" one another. Then comes pride, strife and vainglory - and the Tragedy of continual conflict from the futile effort of the flesh to keep the law's demands. To further the tragedy is, it leads to despising the One through whom all blessing will come.
The law despises grace which brings blessing to us that we have no right to expect. The law has the effect of leading us into the world again because of the conflict and it hardens the heart so that we can find no fellowship with others whose interpretation of the law differs from ours. When believers apply the law to themselves, it is a Type of those who make it a rule of life. A smug, self-righteous hardness develops and instead of faith and grace abounding, we find ourselves under the law of sin and death.
I turned away from that heart-breaking scene and I could see no one come out of that situation unscathed. Grace (Sarai) is grieved because law (Hagar) seems to have become the one who has taken over faith (Abram). Abram is grieved because Sarai and Hagar cannot co-exist. How sad and difficult to mix what God intended with the confusing opinions of our own doubting nature. Faith remains but failure to live by faith in one point, leads to problems in every other part of life. As faith diminishes, confusion increases.
And it can happen to - even me!
The goals were the same, but the attempts to reach them were different. Faith without grace, is to a large degree very deficient; Because there are other forces around waiting in the wings To step in and provide what we hoped time would eventually bring.
But grace doesn't work on the failing timetable of men. We cannot see all the events that are well known to Him Who knows everything and can see all from His point of view, For God delights to prove His unfailing faithfulness to you.
By waiting until nature's course has run and is past. He is able to reveal to us the value of faith when it is cast On God alone who in His grace does what we cannot do; And is glorified even by feeble men before His is through.
The test and temptations of the world are not done. The tendency we have is to try to do God's work alone. If we take the time and wait patiently for God - He will use us to ultimately bring glory to the Lord.
The final accounting of life's efforts is still to come. We are not finished with our service until we get home. When the life of a believer comes up for review; Then the actions of life will show if our faith was really true.
"I know Father, there are times when I have not acted in good faith when I should have. There have been times when I /have gone ahead on my own when I shouldn't have. But I thank Thee for Thy grace and patience with me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."