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Sunday - 9:15 AM Sunday School, 10:30 AM Worship Service

by: Denise Robinson

01/15/2021

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Take 10 @ 10:00:  Our Weekly Devotional 


Our devotional series based on the book Climbing with Abraham by David Ramos continues. Last week, we looked at Abraham's need to know that God's promises were true. He was told to build an altar as a visible reminder of God's past faithfulness. We can do the same - find something to serve for us as a physical reminder of God's faithfulness. Today, we turn back to Sarah. 
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Week 10: Read Genesis 16:1-6 (No Shortcuts)

"Sarah was a woman of God. She had seen, time and time again, how God had miraculously provided for, saved, and promoted her husband Abraham. But the lack of one thing continued to eat at her: a child. At this point in the story, the promise of an heir had probably weighed heavily on Sarah's shoulders for many years. In Sarah's days, a woman who did not have a child was seen as cursed. Sarah wanted to provide Abraham with a son. 

Sarah couldn't wait any longer, and decided to take matters into her own hands. Her solution was a perfectly legal one: she would give Hagar, her servant, to Abraham and the child that Hagar bore would belong to Sarah. Hagar would be nothing more than a tool in the plot. Abraham, likely also confused and frustrated as his wife by the seeming inaction of God, agreed to the plan and took Hagar as his wife and together they had a son, Ishmael. As you might have guessed, Sarah's impatience and rash decision led to an explosive end. 

Here, the Bible reminds us that even those closest to us will sometimes tempt us to circumvent God's plan with a 'logical answer.' Having a surrogate mother was a rational answer to Sarah's infertility. But God had other plans. While the child was promised to Abraham, the promise was also made to Sarah. She was equally as important in the plan (at a time when women were not viewed as important). Their impatience trumped God's promise and disaster was the result.    
___________________________
Takeaway from today's lesson:  God's plans may not seem timely to us, but God's timing is the best option. God's plans may not always seem logical, but they are the best option. 

Prayer: God, help me to trust you and be patient with your plan, even when the way you choose to do things doesn't always make sense to me. Amen.
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Take 10 @ 10:00:  Our Weekly Devotional 


Our devotional series based on the book Climbing with Abraham by David Ramos continues. Last week, we looked at Abraham's need to know that God's promises were true. He was told to build an altar as a visible reminder of God's past faithfulness. We can do the same - find something to serve for us as a physical reminder of God's faithfulness. Today, we turn back to Sarah. 
__________________________
Week 10: Read Genesis 16:1-6 (No Shortcuts)

"Sarah was a woman of God. She had seen, time and time again, how God had miraculously provided for, saved, and promoted her husband Abraham. But the lack of one thing continued to eat at her: a child. At this point in the story, the promise of an heir had probably weighed heavily on Sarah's shoulders for many years. In Sarah's days, a woman who did not have a child was seen as cursed. Sarah wanted to provide Abraham with a son. 

Sarah couldn't wait any longer, and decided to take matters into her own hands. Her solution was a perfectly legal one: she would give Hagar, her servant, to Abraham and the child that Hagar bore would belong to Sarah. Hagar would be nothing more than a tool in the plot. Abraham, likely also confused and frustrated as his wife by the seeming inaction of God, agreed to the plan and took Hagar as his wife and together they had a son, Ishmael. As you might have guessed, Sarah's impatience and rash decision led to an explosive end. 

Here, the Bible reminds us that even those closest to us will sometimes tempt us to circumvent God's plan with a 'logical answer.' Having a surrogate mother was a rational answer to Sarah's infertility. But God had other plans. While the child was promised to Abraham, the promise was also made to Sarah. She was equally as important in the plan (at a time when women were not viewed as important). Their impatience trumped God's promise and disaster was the result.    
___________________________
Takeaway from today's lesson:  God's plans may not seem timely to us, but God's timing is the best option. God's plans may not always seem logical, but they are the best option. 

Prayer: God, help me to trust you and be patient with your plan, even when the way you choose to do things doesn't always make sense to me. Amen.
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