18 November 2015, Wednesday

Shortcuts make long delays!

Shortcuts in our lives often lead to misery, and, more than that, to sin.  

The story of Abraham and Hagar is a very well-known story from the Bible (Genesis 16). 

God had promised Abraham a son to be his heir.

Years passed and Sarah was beyond the child-bearing age.

So, Sarah came up with an idea and Abraham agreed.  

Instead of continuing to wait, Sarah gave Abraham her servant, Hagar, to bear a son in Sarah’s place. 

The right thing for Abraham to do would have been to continue to wait and trust God to bring a son through Sarah as promised. 

Instead he took a shortcut.  

The child born out of his relationship with Hagar, Ishmael, became a problem for Abraham and his descendants–and still is even today. 

Shortcuts can be hard to spot.

Why?  

Shortcuts boil down to being assertive and claiming something we think we deserve or have earned. 

These are qualities that are typically praised today. 

So, how can we avoid these hidden traps?  

Keep the words of Jesus always in your mind:

“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). 

In other words-

God knows what you need.

And He’ll make sure you get it.  

Just keep your eyes focused on Him.

And you’ll never need another shortcut again. 

(PR)