Year 4, Day 15: Genesis 16

Theological Commentary: Click Here 

Discipleship Focus: Learning Circle

• Learning Circle: The learning circle is the tool that we use to discover what God is saying to us.  It leads us through the process of repenting so that we can find what God is saying to us.  It also leads us through believing so that we can act upon what God is saying.

When I read through this example in Abraham’s life, I see a man who is in desperate need of a tool to help him listen to God.  His wife comes to him with a plan to conceive a child with another woman.  That should have tipped him off to something.  Then, when his wife and the woman that he impregnates have conflict, rather than encourage resolution he simply tells Sarah to “deal with her however she feels fit.”  Here is a man who should have been the spiritual leader, but he doesn’t even seem to desire to hear what God might have to say about the situation.  Truthfully, it seems as though the only one who listens is Hagar!

How different might this situation turned out if Abraham would have made a noticeable observation about Sarah’s suggestion.  What might have happened had he reflected upon Sarah’s plan and the possible consequences?  What might have happened had Abraham taken up Sarah’s suggestion with a spiritual mentor before acting upon it?  How might he have been able to hear God’s plan for his life rather than Sarah’s plan?

Or, even after the sin, how might it have turned out differently if he had observed the effects of the sin?  How might it have turned out differently had he reflected on what that act had upon his family?  How might it have turned out differently had he discussed his issues with someone who could have led him into repentance?

Chances are that Abraham would have been able to hear God.  He could have responded in repentance and then believed in a better future in God’s calling.  He could have set a plan and been held accountable to that plan.  He could have taken his plan and set it into action.

I believe this is the lesson to learn here.  We are sinful human beings.  God will break into our life and attempt to teach us.  We can either run from the lesson or turn to it and learn.  As we can see in the story, life is easier when we turn to God and learn the lesson.

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