Abraham and Sarah had been promised many descendants, but they could have no children. Although they had the good motive of wanting God’s promise to come true, they chose a terrible means of accomplishing this. God cares about both our motives and our means.

Abraham and Hagar (Genesis 16:1–6)

Abraham and Sarah tried to go about God’s mission through their own power. They ended up sinning and showing their distrust in God.

Notice the parallels between this passage and the fall of Adam and Eve. In both passages, the man watched his wife come up with a bad plan and listened to what she said. Just as Eve took the fruit and gave it to her husband, Sarah took Hagar and gave her to Abraham.

This is against the original establishment of marriage, which is meant to be between one man and one woman. Also notice how Abraham and Sarah never referred to Hagar by name. They treated her like an object.

Hagar and El Roi (16:7–15)

Hagar fled from Sarah, and the angel of the Lord found her. The first word that came out of his mouth was her name. He treated her like a valued person. He then gave her a great blessing of too many descendants to count.

Hagar was told to name her son Ishmael, meaning “God hears.” God goes above and beyond to hear and care for the afflicted. Although He had no obligation to Hagar, He cared for her in her darkest moment, overflowing with divine love.

Maybe you’ve been hurt by somebody. Hear that God sees and cares for you. Maybe you know others who are struggling. Would you be God’s hands and feet as you care for them?

Abraham and El Shaddai (17:1–21)

God came to Abraham as El Shaddai — God Almighty. He commanded him to walk before Him and be blameless. In verse 18, Abraham responded by presenting his own plan to God once again: his means to accomplish God’s promise.

We also want to accomplish God’s mission through our own power. We must live for the mission of God and by the power of God. We cannot live the Christian life without Christ.

A Life of Asking

Prayer is one of the greatest ways we can show ourselves to be people who live for the mission of God and by the power of God. Abraham and Sarah should have trusted the Lord and asked Him, “Would You give us a child as You said You would?”

Sometimes we wonder, “How am I going to obey this command God has given me?” Stop planning and start praying. The Christian life is a life of asking. We cannot save our friend, so we ask for their salvation. We cannot make ourselves love the Bible, so we pray that we would love the Bible.

Take a day to fast — whether from food, entertainment, or something else — and pray both for yourself and others. Ask God that both your motive and your means would be glorifying to Him!