So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. (Genesis 16:2 NASB)
In the Ancient Near East (ANE), surrogate motherhood was not an unheard of solution for barren women of wealth and status. In that culture the woman acting as the surrogate gave birth sitting on the lap of the intended mother in the birthing chair. The child was then "born into the lap" of the intended mother. Not terribly comfortable for anyone.
So, in the case of Abram and Sarai, the option of surrogate motherhood seemed like a valid one. After all, God had said the promised child through whom would come the descendants like the dust and stars would come through Abram. He hadn't mentioned Sarai in His promise. Given the length of time between discussions, it could easily be assumed, God was not waiting on them. Typically, Abram and Sarai (particularly Sarai) get a bad reputation here, and it probably isn't deserved. In fact, their search technique for finding the will and direction from God is actually fairly common.
Don't just stand there do something! We say it, we think it about ourselves. Our culture tells us that activity is better than passivity. I have bought into it, and I'm not alone. I'm told this axiom by my employer, by my friends, wife, family where I came from, and myself. On the other hand, over a decade ago, a new version had become popular, "Don't just do something, stand there!" It's not as popular as it used to be.
One of my weaknesses is procrastination. It's a weakness I plan on working on one of these days. I am an avoid-er of things I should do, I know it, and I beat myself up about it. I feel shame about it. I sense the failing, the fear, the empty courage. But in coming out here to Nevada, I had to face the fear of acting according to everyone else. I waited on the opportunities and direction of God, and moved to obey without waiting for resources to do so. It was one of the most faithful processes I have ever had the joy of participating in.
So, I know that sometimes what my Master tells me is to wait. Then, for me, waiting is an act of obedience. And at times, He says to go or move or do, and to then to wait for more from Him is to disobey. In Genesis 16, Abram has been waiting, but it doesn't say how long. The word from God at first was lots of descendants. Then it was expanded to be lots of descendants from Abram. To this point, Abram has moved and been obedient to the vague direction of his God. He has believed his God, and that belief has been credited to him as righteousness.
One detail he was given was that his descendants innumerable would not possess the land until after 400 years of slavery. In other words, after waiting a long time. So, Abram knew that waiting was included in the promise. But the child to come through him really couldn't wait all that long, at some point Abram would die. So, while he had been waiting and knew that waiting was included in the "land" part of the promise, he also knew that there was a limit on how long he could wait for the "descendant" part of the promise.
In this passage, really the only clue we have that this option was wrong was the discussion between the Angel of the Lord and Hagar. There we discover that Ishmael would be blessed (sort of) as well, but was not the child of the promise. So, the option of a surrogate mother was not how God intended to fulfill His promise to Abram. The practical conventionally wise solution under the circumstances was not the leading of God. But it didn't bother God either. In fact He wove the child of Hagar into His will and work all throughout the life of His chosen people.
In this instance trial and error wasn't working for Abram and Sarai to find the path to the promise of God. This would have been an "error". That's an option I often choose to find the will of my Master. I can always tell by the "error" result that it's not working. And I'm not really sure when I don't fail that I've truly found His path. I wonder if He is "permitting" something I've chosen to attempt, as in His blessing of Ishmael; not great, but useful for later. I realize that not knowing the will of my Master is never comfortable. Sometimes I need to wait for His direction and act. Sometimes I need to act when He speaks while I'm still blind. The key is listening for His voice. Actually, no, the key is hearing His voice, and receiving the whole message.
So, wait or not to wait. How do I know? Do I attempt to discover His will by trying various things until something works? In the military we called that "recon by fire" where we would direct fire into an area where we suspect the enemy might be hiding. Sometimes we would hit them, but most of the time we didn't. Either way, we didn't loose a soldier. Is that the way my Master wants me to find His will? It doesn't seem so from this passage. Perhaps I should put away my "guns" and make myself comfortable in the gallery outside the Throne Room of the King of Kings; read a book, drink coffee, pace the floor, I know the drill.
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