Verses from Genesis

“撒莱对亚伯兰说：“请看，耶和华使我不能生育，求你去亲近我的婢女，或者我可以从她得孩子。”亚伯兰就听从了撒莱的话。

撒莱对亚伯兰说：“我因你受屈；我把我的婢女送到你的怀中，她见自己有了孕，就轻看我。愿耶和华在你我之间主持公道。””

创世记 16:2, 5

“So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

And Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. May the LORD judge between you and me."”

Genesis 16:2, 5

It is human nature: see an obstacle and fix it. History is littered with courageous people who saw an injustice, a need or a problem, and became famous for their fixing.

Fixing isn’t wrong.  The problem is when the fixer in me rushes ahead of God because I know how to handle this one. One of the greatest struggles in the journey to dependency on the Father is our need to fix things.

Sarai was a fixer.  In Genesis 16 we see that Sarai has decided she knows how to fix her problem of infertility.  She sends her servant to sleep with her husband, Abram, and conceive a child.  No need to bother God, he promised us a child and since he doesn’t seem to be moving fast enough, I will take care of this problem.

Seems a bit extreme as we read the story, but can't you see yourself treating problems in the same manner?

Of course, it all goes wrong for everyone involved in this plan.  Sarai is jealous, Abram is unsure of what to do, and Hagar (the servant) is mistreated and cast out, pregnant and alone.  Ever had a plan of your own doing go wrong?

Wandering alone and guilty, Hagar hears an angel of God speak to her with encouragement and instruction.  Hagar says, “You are the God who sees me.  I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Gen. 16:13)

The God who sees.  The One who sees me.  The One who is at work in the world. The Creator is the One who sees me!  How much more equipped is he to be the “fixer” of all. 

Reflections:

* What areas of your life are you trying to fix without depending on God?

* Where have you seen God work for his good purpose in your life?