Not so Mrs. Nice Gal....

Did you ever think you knew someone and then all of a sudden, as you look deeper, you find out that that someone is not as nice as you thought they were? This week that was me..... in the world of Sarai (AKA Sarah).

In my mind of children's parables and bible stories I have always thought of Sarah as a wonderful woman used by God to help fulfill God's story by giving birth to Isaac. God fulfilling a promise He made to Sarah and Abraham. I am not sure why my brain did not remember the rest of the story (as Paul Harvey would say). Imagine my surprise when I found out some other things that were going on here....

It all started with a promise in Genesis 15:

² But Abram said, "O Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit ^c]">[c] my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?" ³ And Abram said, "You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir."

⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to him: "This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir." ⁵ He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."

⁶ Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

We quickly see that as time rolls on...impatience sets in.....and Sarah starts taking matters in her own hands. Forgetting the promise that was given~she tried to fix it herself. I am sure she had the best of intentions at the time~right? Genesis 16:

¹ Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar; ² so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her."
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. ³ So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. ⁴ He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.

I am sure that Abraham had the best of intentions too cause he probably just wanted to please his wife (Ahem- yeah ok)...moving on.... So Sarah takes matters into her own hands and here is where it happens- just like the Jefferson Starship song- the storms start brewing in her eyes.

This is why Sarah should have been careful about what she asked for- cause low and behold - SHE GOT IT! Then she found out she didn't want it-but it was too late to turn back:

When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. ⁵ Then Sarai said to Abram, "You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my servant in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me."

Now we see her true colors shining through. Does she look inward and see what she's done?...no...instead she looks outward and blames everybody else. She treated Hagar like an outcast, causing her to flee for her safety. Sarah doesn't seem to be such a wonderful woman destined to fulfill God's promise for her and Abraham now...does she?

Perhaps this bothers me so, because I can look at her and see me in the reflection. How many times do I stand on the promises of my Savior, only to try to make things happen on my own. It is me, at times, failing to make things happen and then I blame everyone around me and make them help me "fix it". And yes, it is me, who runs to the phone before humbling myself at His throne- and patiently waiting for His promises to be fulfilled in my life.

This story is not without hope though. I see a promise in it that shines brighter than my pride.

Like Sarah, we do not have to be perfect for God to love us and use us for His purpose. So, if he can use a woman like her...there just may be hope for me yet!

All I have to do is: