"Which Will You Choose?" by Rachelle Miller - Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai Avram’s wife had not borne him a child. But she had an Egyptian slave-girl named Hagar; 2 so Sarai said to Avram, “Here now, Adonai has kept me from having children; so go in and sleep with my slave-girl. Maybe I’ll be able to have children through her.” Avram listened to what Sarai said.
3 It was after Avram had lived ten years in the land of Kena‘an that Sarai Avram’s wife took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave-girl, and gave her to Avram her husband to be his wife. 4 Avram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she conceived. But when she became aware that she was pregnant, she looked on her mistress with contempt. 5 Sarai said to Avram, “This outrage being done to me is your fault! True, I gave my slave-girl to you to sleep with; but when she saw that she was pregnant, she began holding me in contempt. May Adonai decide who is right — I or you!” 6 However, Avram answered Sarai, “Look, she’s your slave-girl. Deal with her as you think fit.” Then Sarai treated her so harshly that she ran away from her.
7 The angel of Adonai found her by a spring in the desert, the spring on the road to Shur, 8 and said, “Hagar! Sarai’s slave-girl! Where have you come from, and where are you going?” She answered, “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.” (Complete Jewish Bible)
***Each day we are faced with a myriad of choice. Some choices are simple: coffee or tea,fizzy drinks or water, and the list goes on. Other choices are not so simplistic.
Sarai had the choice to trust God or to take matters into her own hands. When she took control of the situation, as many of us often do, and things went sour she looked for someone to blame. This tends to be our human nature. Abram took some of the blame, but Hagar bore much of the blame for Sarai’s poor choice.
With hindsight, we see that Sarai’s situation was simple. The right choice was obvious. Of course we trust our God who only has our best interests at heart. However, how many choices have we made and then thought, “That was the wrong choice.”
God doesn’t judge us for our choices—good or bad. Often this is head-knowledge for a Christian. God was able to take Sarai beyond this bad choice and bring her to a place where she was fully used by God for his purpose, at the right time. Today, may we allow God to move us past our bad choices so that he can use us.
Hymn for Today: "I Need Thee Every Hour" by Annie S. Hawks.
1. I need Thee every hour,
Most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine
Can peace afford.
Refrain: I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
I come to Thee.
2. I need Thee every hour,
Stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their power
When Thou art nigh.
Refrain: I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
I come to Thee.
3. I need Thee every hour,
In joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide,
Or life is vain.
Refrain: I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
I come to Thee.
4. I need Thee every hour,
Teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises
In me fulfill.
Refrain: I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
I come to Thee.
5. I need Thee every hour,
Most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed,
Thou blessed Son.
Refrain: I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior!
I come to Thee.
Thought for Today: Adonai, you lifted me up from Sh’ol;
you kept me alive when I was sinking into a pit.
Sing praise to Adonai, you faithful of his;
and give thanks on recalling his holiness.(Psalm 30:4).
Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in Guam.
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