This is a problem when we try to help God make His promises come true.

Abram disobeyed and the attitudes changed. His wife, being a good wife, took responsibility for not believing her husband, and she lost her respect. God could have stepped in and made Sarah be patient. He could have kept Hagar from getting pregnant. He could have done a lot of things, which He chose to let go. If God had intervened we would not see the character of God as the one who sees. When Hagar had the baby, Ishmael the same problems came and she left Abrams house. This first experience was important for the next meeting. We find that the problem did not go away. God did not fix the problem. God allowed people to experience His character through tough experiences. We like to think of God as the god of love. The God who gives us riches and health. This is not the God see here. Often we are like Abram. We are asked of God to something that seems to be really not normal. We cant understand Gods reasons when God asks us to do the impossible. That is what true Christianity is all about. Doing the impossible in obedience to Gods commands. Often we find that there are people who try, like Sarah to help us be obedient to God. In the end they lose respect and bring us relationship problems. There are many around that are like Hagar. They know people who are followers of the true God. These are committed and have respect but have never experienced the true God. They go through the motions, but have never met Him, God, personally. It is only when they are put in a position and run away that they discover that God not only sees but can be seen and experienced. It is this experience of El- Roi that we start a relationship with the true God that continues. A relationship that is full of promises designed for us in our situation. The character of El-roi the God who interacts with people where they are. Who are you today? Perhaps Abram following the true God but not believing the impossible things that God has asked you to do! Perhaps you are Sarai who wants to help God do the impossible! Perhaps you are Hagar, the servant girl, running away from her circumstances and relationships which have lost their respect. You have no direction and have ended up in the desert. God wants you to go back knowing the situation but wanting you to know that the God who sees all also is a God who wants to be seen by you.

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