It always cracks me up how easily we forget that these Bible “heroes” were so incredibly human. We often assume that the very fact that God used them to do incredible things was because they were incredible. But they were SO not perfect. In just the first few chapters of Abraham’s story, he shows amazing faith and a pathetic lack thereof.
Let me give you a couple of examples. He had faith to head out, not knowing where he was going because God told him to, but he didn’t have faith in God to protect him and told his beautiful wife to tell everyone she was his sister so that they wouldn’t harm him. Kinda wimpy.
And then there was his whole plan B when it came to the promise of a son. Hagar was his great idea. Since God promised him a son and it wasn’t happening in HIS timing, he decided to listen to his wife and hook up with his servant and get her pregnant so he could have the son God promised. Isn’t that twisted? And we all know how that turned out. (Or, if you don’t, you can join me in reading Genesis and find out!)
As i was thinking about Hagar I realized that there are many times when I come up with a “Hagar plan.” I believe that God has asked me to do something or has promised me that He will do something, and it doesn’t go according to my timing. So I say, “I have a great plan!” And I concoct some crazy plan that allows me to make something happen in MY timing. Often it doesn’t go so well.
So I’m encouraging you today, that as you are making your plans to make sure you aren’t getting ahead of God. Don’t start trying to manipulate the instructions or promises God gives because you’re impatient. Avoid the metaphorical Hagar plan. Because God “doeth all things well” and He doesn’t need us to change the plan. His is always best.
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