Title: Faith and Testing/Genesis 16:1-6
Description Sarai was a woman of great beauty. She was a beauty that even the ministers of Pharaoh's court recognized. But it doesn't seem like she was a wise woman. Also, Sarai was born infertile. Genesis 11:30 says "Sarai is barren," and the English translation of this word (NIV) is "Now Sarai was barren", which means a woman who cannot produce. It can be said that this is a case similar to Hannah in 1 Samuel 1. Coincidentally, the situation at home is also similar. In the sense that hatching occurs because of offspring.
The story we will meditate on today begins with Sarai. Meanwhile, Sarai did not become a character in Abram's journey of faith. But now, as soon as he appears, he plays the villain. Sarai must have lived with a considerable sense of inferiority to the infertile women at that time. Even today, the view of infertile women is not very good, and looking back at the time when children were very important, Sarai's position is understandable to some extent. Moreover, at that time, there was a law that if the mother could not get pregnant, she was allowed to marry more. Ten years have passed since God's promise was made. In the meantime, Sarai has really gone through years of hardship. Still, there are no signs of conception. Moreover, there was an incident in the middle that broke Sarai's heart. Isn't that the case in Egypt where he almost absurdly became Pharaoh's concubine? You must have witnessed many times that, while spending 10 years with such an ungrateful husband, he regretted the fact that he had no children. It is easy to guess that Sarai's 10 years must have been very painful times.
Now pay attention to the text.
Verses 4,5 clearly show that Sarai's choice was wrong. It is similar to the family of Elkanah in 1 Samuel. Hannah and Hagar, who were having a hard time despising Peninnah, realized that they were pregnant and despised Sarai. The problem is that the cause is in the children. In the text, Sarai is portrayed as a careless woman with no worries and no cases. He farts and becomes angry, so he invites Abram to God and protests. A serious conflict arose in the family. Abram's family, who failed to trust and wait for God's promises and took their own way, is engulfed in serious difficulties. Even more disturbing is Abram's indecisive attitude. He seems to see the epitome of an indecisive man in the way he leaves it to him to do what he wants. There was a breakdown in the family. Hagar left the house and serious problems arose between the couple.
What is? We believe in God, believe in the Word, and live a life of faith. We, who are living a life of faith based on God's promises, mobilize methods to do something in front of God. It is a fact that brings great trials of faith. In that sense, faith also goes hand in hand with obedience and absolute obedience. We must remember that we were in Sarai's sweet temptation after a landmark event in Abram's journey of faith. To be tempted by sweetness and to judge and act at will without praying to God or asking for guidance. It leads us to serious difficulties. The bloody war between the children of Ishmael and the children of Israel has continued and continues today because of this misguided guiding in Abram's journey of faith. The family was embroiled in serious strife.
What do you mean by faith? What Abram and Sarai still needed was patience and obedience. Do you hear God's voice? Are you telling me to be faithful in the little things? Are you telling me to believe? Remember Abram. Believing is also accompanied by action. We should put our arms on Abram's shoulder and not expose us to the same test of faith. Trying to do something in the presence of God without God's guidance is rather to cause difficulties. What God wanted was to believe and be patient and wait. ( * )