“Birthing” An Ishmael & The God Who Sees

By Pastor Bob Morgan

(To get more out of this devotional I encourage you to read any Scriptures referenced. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you personally.)

In Genesis 16:1-16 we read of a Sarai’s (Sarah’s) pregnant maidservant Hagar running away. Why?

God had promised Abraham a son and as of yet, had delayed His promise. (Please remember that a delay is not a denial. And, any divine delays are used by God, for His own good purposes in our lives — for His glory and our highest good).

Like most of us, Sarah became impatient, even embarrassed by her infertility (I know many godly women who have faced similar circumstances). At this time she was well past childbearing age. And again, like so may of us often do, Sarah decided to take things into her own hands and “help God out.”

So according to the custom of the day, Sarah talked her husband Abraham into taking her maidservant Hagar as a “birth mother surrogate” and conceiving a child with her. According to custom, when the time came to give birth, Hagar would sit in the lap of Sarah, and therefore signify that the child legally would become Sarah’s. (V.v. 3-4).

But, as often happens when we decide to “play Holy Spirit” or be an “amateur providence,” — resorting to “the arm of the flesh,” taking things into our own hands attempting to “help God out” — things didn’t turn out like Sarah hoped they would through her own carnal efforts. This had been a test of their faith, and when God delayed they took things into their own hands — and failed the test miserably. Later, King Saul would do the same (C.f., 1 Sam 13:8-14).

(A word of caution about “modern” surrogacy. Surrogacy has become a growing practice in this country for desperate, childless couples. But, it has also brought with it both many legal issues — and heartache.)

How many decisions (projects, purchases, business start-ups, debt taken on, relationships and even ministries) were made and started in the flesh, or as an attempt to “help God out?” How many decisions (projects, purchases, businesses, debt taken on, relationships and even ministries) have been kept going in the flesh, long after they remained viable, or the Holy Spirit may have removed His blessings? Remember, a need is not necessarily a calling.

God may have given us a promise, a vision, or a calling for our lives — but — He may also be asking us to “wait;” to allow Him to bring it to fruition: in His way, by His means, His timing, and with His heart, for His glory and our highest possible good. When we become impatient, run before God, and take matters in our own hands — trust me, very little good often comes of it. God may simply be testing our faithfulness by entrusting us to wait, to see if He can entrust us with greater blessings and responsibilities.

As an example, statistically, the average new missionary recruit remains 1-2 years in the mission field before returning home. This is often before they’ve even begun to know the people and culture they thought they were “called” to serve. As a pastor I used to encourage folks who asked for missions support to contact me after they’d been in the field for at least 2-years. (It’s also why I liked supporting indigenous pastors and missionaries).

Often, God may be calling us to prepare ourselves for the blessings He’s preparing for us (e.g., college, career, marriage, children, ministry, etc.). This too may be a test.

Bottom line, in God’s economy, there’s a vast difference between doing nothing versus constructively (and prayerfully) waiting on God. There’s also a strategic difference between our waiting on God, and His waiting on us — waiting on our ability to be trusted and used for His purposes.

The Christian’s walk of faith is a submissive, Holy Spirit led, pilgrimage of learning neither to lag behind God or running out in front of God. It’s learning to walk with and even wait with God. And God is never in a hurry. He can accomplish more in one hour of our being steadfastly obedient in the center of His will, than a lifetime of our walking in our own self-effort.

Which leads to a second, very important question that maybe we should look at more closely in another study, “Are we driven individuals, or Spirit led individuals?” Hmmmn?!?

Bottom line, if we can’t be faithful to the little things (like waiting, praying, preparing and the tasks He’s already given us now), how can God entrust us with much bigger things? I love how even after David was anointed by the Prophet Samuel and prophetically declared to be the next King (C.f., 1 Sam 16:1-13), that he continued to be faithful at the task he had been appointed by his father, Jesse — tending to the family’s sheep (C.f., 1Sam 17:14-15).

Reaping What We Sow

It’s a biblical principle that we reap what we sow. It works spiritually, relationally and physically. And, we also reap later than we sow and greater than we sow. If we sow to the flesh, we reap according to the flesh. If we sow to the Spirit, we reap to the spirit. Let me ask us all this, “what do our spiritual lives, our finances, our relationships look like?” What is it that we’ve been sowing? Because whatever it is, that’s what we’re going to reap both later and greater than we’ve sown.

Abraham, Sarah and Hagar were about to reap what they had sown. They were all about to “birth an Ishmael.” After Hagar conceived, she became puffed up in pride, gloating over her own ability to conceive when her mistress Sarah couldn’t — tormenting her. The chickens were just beginning to come home to roost.

And, although it was Sarah’s own idea, she then blamed her husband Abraham. (V.v. 4-5). It’s always been amazing to me how often we’d rather blame others than to accept responsibility for our own attitudes, choices and behaviors. Never seeing the connection between what we’ve sown and what we’re now reaping — the Ishmael(s) we’ve birthed as a result.

Abraham didn’t buy into it and tosses the ball back into Sarah’s lap. Hagar then reaps what she has sown in the way she treated Sarah. Sarah then fails to respond in a Christlike manner treating Hagar harshly and sending her away. (v.6).

God’s Sovereignly Overriding Our Circumstances

Abraham and Sarah were wrong in their original scheming to “help God out,” and Hagar was both wrong to go along with it and then to get puffed up in pride tormenting Sarah. And now Hagar and her son, Ishmael, are driven into the wilderness. “But God,” (I love that phrase), intervenes in the life of Hagar and Ishmael to providentially guide, provide, protect — and promise — that they have a future and a hope! 

And after God ministered to their needs in all their troubles and heartbreak, Hagar “called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, El Roi (You are a God who sees) …’”  (v. 13).

The God Who Sees

God is both All-Knowing (Omniscient) and has a Universal Presence being everywhere at once (Omnipresent). As such, He is the God who sees and knows.

He sees and knows our need. He sees and knows our pain and heartbreak. He sees and knows our future. He sees and knows our failures and sin — our successes and victories. He sees and knows our “secret sin” we think no one knows about. He even sees and knows the wicked schemes in our heart that haven’t been manifested yet — and, even the unspoken motives of our heart. He sees and knows all, and nothing catches Him off guard or by surprise.

A Promise Fulfilled

But that’s still not the end of the story. Now that Hagar and Ishmael have been removed from the camp and their futures provided for, God could now perform His promise to Abraham and Sarah of so many decades before. A child is born to them; the promised son, Isaac. And, it was all without human scheming — and all of God’s sovereign grace.

Wait On The Lord — Even Though The Vision Or Promise Tarries

Maybe God has given us a vision and a promise. We’ve grown restless waiting, thinking it’s time to “help God out;” to meddle in the things of God and take it upon ourselves.

When In Doubt — Don’t! As initially as difficult as it might be, submit to God’s sovereign will for our lives. Let God do it — in His way, by His means, and in His time. You will never be sorry.

But if we try to “make it happen” in our own “arm of the flesh,” we may have to live with the consequences of “birthing an Ishmael” — possibly even for the rest of our lives.

This is the difference between a “driven” individual — and a “Spirit led” individual.

Sovereign Grace And Redeeming Our Ishmael(s)

Maybe we’re living with one or more of our own Ishmael’s right now. Things we tried to force and make happen outside of God’s will: in His way, by His means, His timing, and with His heart for our lives. Maybe God has allowed us to reap what we’ve sown.

Be of good cheer! Our God is still the “God who sees.” He sees. He knows. And in His sovereign grace — He still has a purpose and a plan!

Perhaps, all He’s been waiting for is for us to simply confess (perhaps publicly if needed), repent (perhaps make restitution if needed), give up, and submit — to His will: in His way, by His means, His timing, and with His heart. What do we have to lose?

Like you, I’m still learning to listen for, recognize and obey — The Shepherd’s Voice.

With a pastor’s heart — Pastor Bob.

(If this devotional blesses you please let me know. If you think it would bless someone else, please share it.)