Taking Matter Into Your Own Hands

In the story of Sarah and her husband Abraham we read about the many times that they took matters into their own hands rather than relying on God’s protection and promise.

God had directed Abraham to leave his homeland to a place that He would show him and gave him the following promise:

“I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12: 2-3

To Abraham’s credit he went, but when a famine came he took Sarah to Egypt. While in Egypt he instructed Sarah to lie and say that she was his sister because he feared the Egyptians would desire her and kill him to have her. Their lie was discovered and they were thrown out of Egypt. Years later their son would tell the same lie about his wife.

Later when Sarah was discouraged because she had not yet born the promised child, she gave her maid Hagar to Abraham to have a child for her. This opened the door for resentment, jealousy and the continued battles between the Jewish and Arab nations to this day.

Like Abraham and Sarah, when we take matters into our own hands we completely throw out the promises of God in our lives and trade them for fear, unrest and battles we were never intended to fight.

God gave us the many promises in His word so that when fear and doubts come, we can hold tight to them and trust that God will remain faithful. Think of the many heartaches and regrets we could have avoided had we trusted God instead of taking matters into our own hands.

What promises do you need to read again? What truths do you need to speak to your situation?

God is faithful. God is good. He cannot lie and His promises remain.

Be Intentional about holding on to God’s promises.

Praises & Prayers

Father, please forgive us for taking matters into our own hands. Help us re-read your promises and hold tight to the truth. Thank you for giving us the hope that Your promises bring. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Messages from His Word

Hebrews 6:18-19

God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.