Jan 8 - Gen. 19-21

The flesh wants to accomplish what we believe God can’t accomplish without our intervention.  Our flesh in this instance can be thought of as our efforts apart from God’s direction.  Lot’s daughter’s offspring and Hagar’s offspring became a thorn in the descendents of Isaac’s (children of promise) side.  All God wanted from Abram (now Abraham) was for him to continue having relations with his wife and to wait with faith. 

The arm of my effort can NEVER bring about God’s promise or His provision.  In fact when I try to supply my own need by my own effort without God, many times that effort will be a complete waste or work against me!  It seems that whenever I worked 7 days a week to “get ahead” I always got behind somehow.  It never worked out, and I am glad it didn’t.  It has taught me to rely on God.  God doesn’t need me to come to the rescue, He needs me to cooperate with Him and do only what He tells me to do – and believe.

“Send the slave woman away with her offspring.”  In order to have offspring you have to have relations, you have to unify, you have to bond.  Break the bonds you have with your own efforts (and your pride), to get things done – the way you do things, whether it has been “for” God or for your own satisfaction.  Break with the ways that put you at odds with God’s way of releasing the promise and get rid of the offspring – they may (will) grow up to be your enemy.

By the way – in spite of Abraham, his lying about Sarah, his sleeping with Hagar, the promise was fulfilled.  That is because God made it!  Listen to His promise and be assured of the outcome.