Whose Way?

“And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.” (Gen. 16:15) 

Someone once said, “You do things your way, and I’ll do things God’s way.” Is the world that black and white? Are there not more options on this multiple-choice test? The world may provide us with more options than flavors of Blue Bell Ice Cream, but God sums everything into these two – our way or His way. This week’s passage lays plain God’s call for obedience and the consequences for doing otherwise. Many of us read Genesis 16 with a sense of déjà vu. A man receives a command to obey; however, he chooses to listen to the voice of his wife instead. As a result, sin and misery follow in their wake. Am I talking about Abram or Adam? Yes. I’m not saying that history repeats itself, but I am saying that sin always follows the pattern. Sin never chooses God’s way, and its way always ends in sin and misery. 

God promised that the redemption of the world would come through the line of Shem. Particularly from the offspring of Abram would be the blessing of the nations that would restore all that sin had divided and desecrated. When Abram doubted, God reinforced His intentions for Abram through promises and pictures (Gen. 15). Instead of clinging to these promises, Abram takes a shortcut by having a child through Hagar, a daughter of Egypt, a descendant of Ham. Abram opposes the purposes of God and the plan of faith by resorting to the wicked ways of works. “Works” take many forms, but they are always “our way,” as opposed to God’s way. They rob God of glory, add to us misery; steal God’s praise, make unto us misery; provide a short-term feeling of satisfaction, leave an aftertaste that will last a lifetime. 

Abram’s small detour away from “God’s way” led to lifetimes of sorrow. Hagar (and her son, Ishmael) would test Sarai, Ishmael would mock Isaac, and their descendants would be a perpetual thorn in the flesh of God’s people for ages. One small detour, one shortcut led to sorrows untold. Tell me, reader. How often do you weigh the consequences of sin? God’s way may often seem longer and harder, but it is always safest. Now, you have two options. Will you do things your way or God’s way?