Genesis 15,16,17

16:2 "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."

So the moral is... don't listen to your wife. Just kidding.

Abram had a real problem; all his inheritance, his namesake, everthing crucial to his culture was headed into the hands of someone else's kid who happened to have been born in his home. Abram's merciful, gracious God loved him, however, and promised him a son by his wife. God even went to great lengths (for Abram's sake) to prove that He was serious and would follow through with His promise. The years tick by, though, and Abram and Sarai figure the only way they'll get a son is through adultery. God had this great plan to answer His children's prayer and show His omnipotence and wisdom, and they jump the gun. How sad is that? Moses and the rock, Saul and the sacrifice, Peter in the garden... why do we think we know better than the Creator?

The birth of Isaac was about 14 years away when Abram and Sarai gave up on God's promise. 14 years is a long time when you're already 85, but shouldn't we know God is the one who created the heavens and the earth in six days? He can act in an instant, but He'll act on His schedule. I have told many people that I enjoy reflecting on the early years of my marriage because they were very tight financially and it made it easier to lean on God because there was nowhere else to go! I have also reflected that when the paychecks got bigger, there was a challenge there to continue to rely on God now that he was meeting our needs through a steady job. I wanted to think that whenever the hard times came again that I would welcome them as the opportunity for God to again show His grace in spectacular ways. I'm not as excited as I thought I would be. Abram and Sarai gave up and paid the consequences through complicated and painful relationships, strife, and remorse. And all those consequences affect the seed of Abraham to this day! I don't want to give up and do something stupid. It's going to take divine support and a full dose of humility... can I swallow that pill?

Lord, help me to rely on You and You alone for everything. Help me to not give up on Your plan and to not pursue my own solutions. I know You are faithful from Your Word and what You have done in my life in the past, help me to lean on those (in that order) for my assurance.