"JEHOVAH PREVENTED ME"

 Rather than looking behind, Sarah looked ahead. So she kept supporting her husband in his sojourn in the land, helping to pack up the tents, move with the herds, and set up camp again. She endured further challenges and changes. Jehovah renewed his promise to Abraham- but still no mention of Sarah! -GENESIS 13:14-17; 15:5-7.

Finally, Sarah decided that it was time to speak to Abraham of a plan that had been forming in her mind. Picture her face showing conflicting emotions as she said: "Please now! Jehovah has prevented me from bearing children." Then she asked her husband to become father to children by means of her servant girl, Hagar. Can you imagine Sarah's anguish in asking that of her husband? It may seem a strange request to us today, but it was unusual in those times for a man to take a secondary wife, or concubine, in order to produce an heir. Might Sarah have felt that in this way God's purpose to produce a nation of descendants through Abraham would be realized? At any rate, she was willing to make a sacrifice. Abraham's reaction? We read that he "listened to what [Sarah] said." - GENESIS 16:1-3.

Does the account suggest that Jehovah moved Sarah to make such an offer? No. Rather her proposal reveals a very human outlook. She thought that God was responsible for her troubles. and she could not imagine that he had another solution. Sarah's own solution would bring her pain and trouble. Still, her proposal showed an admirable lack of selfishness. In a world where people so often put their own personal desires ahead of all else, doe Sarah's selfless spirit shine through? If we are willing to put God's purposes ahead of selfish interests, imitate Sarah's faith.

Next time: "YOU DID LAUGH"

From the jw.org publications