Please Wait . . .

Read Genesis 15:1–17:27

15. Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah.
16. And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”
17. Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”
18. So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”
19. But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.” Genesis 17:15-19

Right turns on red, your keyboard’s escape key, and speeding tickets all testify to our hatred for waiting. More often than not, when we hear “Please wait,” we want to say, “No, thank you.” We are often asked to wait, and are often not good at complying.

It’s a small wonder, then, that Abram and Sarai stopped waiting for God. We see their faith weaken and fail when Sarai and Abram agree to bring Hagar into the process of starting a family. As a result, Ishmael is born. Despite Abram and Sarai’s impulsive decision, God reaffirms his promise and establishes the covenant of circumcision—a permanent sign of his relationship with Abram’s descendants.

As you read, watch for other lessons on patience; trusting God to do what he promises; and not taking matters into your own hands.

Abram and Sarai had trouble believing God’s promise and began thinking up creative ways to manipulate events and have a child (Genesis 16:1-3). A married woman who could not have children was shamed by her peers and was often required to give a female servant to her husband in order to produce an heir. The children born to the servant woman were considered the children of the wife.

When Sarai gave Hagar to Abram, they were acting in line with the custom of the day, but this action revealed their lack of faith that God would fulfill his promise. Consequently, a series of problems arose. This invariably happens when we take over for God and try to fulfill his promises through efforts that are not in line with his specific directions. In this case, time provided the greatest test of Abram and Sarai’s faith and their willingness to let God work in their lives. Sometimes, we, too, must simply wait. When we ask God for something and have to wait, we are tempted to take matters into our own hands and interfere with God’s plans.

Do your continual prayers seem to go unanswered? Do you feel yourself getting impatient with God as you wait for him to fulfill his promise and meet your need? Consider what God might be teaching you in the process. Obey God, and trust him for the outcome.