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Genesis 16:1-16, I will heal your sufferings

관리자 0 1,638 2021.05.17 12:41
Genesis 16:1-16,  I will heal your sufferings

There are problems in life that are difficult to deal with even as Christian families. What problem did Abram’s family face and how did God heal their family?

1. We make mistakes (vv. 1-3).

There was a problem with Abram, our ancestor in faith in Genesis 16. Genesis 16:1 says that Abram’s wife had borne with no children. It has been ten years since God gave him a promise to give him children. But Abram still had no children. So Sarai devised a scheme. Her plan was to have Abraham build a family through her female slave Hagar (vv. 2-3). And Abram agreed to what Sarai said. This was a big mistake. When they face a problem, instead of waiting on the LORD, they tried to resolve their problem on their own in a devious way. God calls us to make decisions and discernments in faith. 1) God calls us to trust in the LORD our God and wait on Him. 2) God calls us to give glory to Him. 3) God calls us to obey His Word. 4) When we make a decision in faith, God will fill our hearts with peace and joy (Warren W. Wiersbe, Preacher). Abram made a decision based on human understanding. In order to avoid making this kind of mistake, we need to wait patiently in God. We need to rest in God, wait and pray at dawn, and wait for the tide to rise. * Pastor Max Lucado’s testimony-Parents tell their children to trust their mothers and fathers and wait. When we trust in God’s plan and His divine providence, He will help us overcome problems.

2. When we make a decision merely based on our limited human understanding and knowledge, we will experience more suffering and pain (vv. 4-7).

Verse 4 shows that Abram slept with Hagar and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 1 Samuel 1 also displays a similar story of Hannah and her rival, Peninnah.  When there was a conflict in Abram’s family, Sarai was bitter and angry that she could not fall asleep. Sarai said to Abram that he is responsible for the wrong she is suffering. Abram told Sarai that she may do with Hagar whatever she thinks best. Sarai mistreated her slave, so Hagar fled from her. Abram’s family became like hell.

3. God takes care of our problems and heals us (vv. 8-16).

God intervenes and solves problems in our lives. He heals our wounds and pain. Humans make mistakes. We sin against God. However, God takes care of our problems. He does not give up on us. His love is bigger than our sin. God had a plan that was larger than all our mistakes and wrongdoings. How does God respond to Abram and Sarai? He does not rebuke them. They have already received enough punishment by experiencing pain and suffering. Instead, God searched for Hagar who fled to the desert. * Hagar in the Wilderness by Giovanni Lanfranco, an Italian painter Hagar probably felt desolate, hopeless, and miserable.  Hagar was probably around the age of 15-20-year-old. It was unbearable to stay at her mistress’s house so she ran away. If she died in the desert, it would have been devastating to Abram’s family. They would probably think that they should have covered their female slave with grace and faith. Verse 7 says the angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert. He called her by name and spoke kindly to her. In verse 8, He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” Where are you now? This is a question we all get asked. Hagar ran away from her mistress, yet she does not know where to go. There may be times our parents, children, spouse may mistreat us, abandon us, or give us hard times. However, God will never leaves us. In Hebrews 13:5 God has said He will never leave us, He will never forsake us. The angel of the LORD told Hagar to go back to her mistress and submit to her in verse 9. Going back to Sarai and submitting to her authority was the hardest thing to do. In order to live, we must change our attitude, the way we live and submit to order that God has established. The angel of the LORD also said to Hagar that she will give birth to a son, she will name him Ishmael for the LORD has heard of her misery (v 11). He will increase her descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count (v 10).  Hagar met the God who sees her (Beer Lahai Roi, well of the Living One who sees me). She returned to Sarai and submitted to her. Sarai also obeyed the LORD and received her slave. Hagar bore Abram a son. Abram obeyed the LORD and gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. The storm in Abram’s family became calm. God took care of their problems and healed their wounds. There are times we encounter problems and experience pain. There are times we want to give up and situations we want to avoid. In those times, let us trust in the LORD and wait on Him. Let us pray to Him. * Counseling a student-instead of worrying about future, do your best today and prepare for upcoming tests and projects. God will lead us and He will guide our future. God sees us. He sees our pain and knows our suffering. Our sovereign God who knows everything will bless us as we put our trust in Him and wait on Him patiently. Have you made a mistake? Have you done something that you have regretted? Are you experiencing hardship, pain, and suffering caused by those problems? Cast all your anxiety on God, who cares for you. May God heal you and bless you with His living Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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