It’s another new day dear friend. Welcome to the online study devotional. The Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional for Tuesday, January 10, 2023, the topic is Go back and submit. We shall be reading from the book of Genesis 16: 1-9. In case you missed yesterday’s devotional, you may see it here: Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional Sunday 8 and Monday 9 January, 2023.
The Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional for Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
TOPIC: GO BACK AND SUBMIT
TEXT: Genesis 16:1-9
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”
6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.
7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.
9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” *The Anglican Daily Fountain Devotional for Tuesday, January 10, 2023*
GENERAL DISCUSSION
The text shows that Sarai was barren and she requested Abram to go into Hager to get children by her. When Hager conceived she despised Sarai who ill-treated her and she ran away. In Hager’s attempt to justify the cause of her ordeal, she was made to understand that the way forward was for her to go back and submit to her mistress, Sarai.
If it were today, many of us would have advised Hager to engage in violent prayers so that Sarai would die or give way for her to possess her possession in Abram’s family. A 7-day vigil with fasting would have possibly been recommended so that Sarai would be chased out. But God knows that Hager was not justified in her conduct. Be careful how you pass judgement, especially in issues that deals with marriages, and other internal issues like master-and-servant misunderstanding. Please go back and submit and let peace reign. Humble yourself so that God will fulfil his purpose for you. Do not destroy your future, marriage or career because of worthless ego. If you have wronged your wife or husband, kindly go and peace.
Prayer: Gracious God, grant me the grace to initiate reconciliation where necessary in my family in Jesus’ name. Amen.
