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Waiting for God to act

 [WOMEN of the Old Testament] 

SARAH & HAGAR: Waiting for God to act_ 

Genesis 16 / 18:1-15 

 
Have you ever been guilty of thinking that God needs some help or ‘advice’ when it comes to keeping promises? 
When things don’t seem to be happening the way that we want or in the timeframe that we think they should, the temptation can be to take matters into our own hands. 
It’s one thing to believe that God will answer our prayers... it’s another thing entirely waiting for the answer. 

[Group discussion starter] Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” 
How have you found this Proverb to be true in your life? 
When is waiting hard and when is it easy? 
What does this tell us about the human heart? 

 
God made a promise to Abram & Sarai. 
God said He would bless the whole world through the child He would give them. 
At first, they waited excitedly and eagerly. But after years of waiting, what was happening to their faith? Would God keep that promise? Should they take matters into their own hands?... 

 

[Read Genesis 16] 

 
Over a period of 2 decades God repeated His promise to make a great nation out of Abram’s offspring. As the years went by and no child was conceived, how do you think Sarai felt about herself? 

 

 

When Sarai suggested Hagar as a substitute (surrogate) mother, she was actually following a custom that was acceptable in her culture. In Genesis 16:4-5, at what point did she regret that decision? 

 

Notice how Sarai blames Abram (in verse 5). Why do we tend to want to blame others for our own bad decisions? 

 
 

In verses 7-14, what does Hagar learn about God in her personal struggles over this pregnancy? 
 

 

Considering Hagar’s position in Abram’s household, what would it cost her to obey the angel’s instruction? 
 

 

Thirteen years later God again appears to Abram, reminds him of the promise and changes their names to Abraham and Sarah... 

 
[Read Genesis 18:1-15] 

 
To what lengths does God go to demonstrate to Abraham and Sarah the certainty of his promise? 
How do you think Abraham and Sarah felt about God after He took these actions? 
 

 

In verses 10-15, what does Yahweh seem to know about Sarah? 
What did Sarah need to learn about Yahweh? 
 

 

Is God’s knowledge of your private thoughts and fears a comfort or a distress to you? 
Why? 
 

 

In your own times of waiting, what choices and possible outcomes do you face?  

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