Rev Xi An Poon
親愛的家人，平安。
創世記第15章，神親自對亞伯蘭說：「你不要懼怕！我是你的盾牌，必大大地賞賜你。」神也與亞伯蘭立約，應許他的後裔必多如天上的眾星。這讓我們看見，神的應許不是靠人的力量成就，而是靠神自己的信實成就。
可是到了創世記第16章，神的應許還沒有立刻成就，撒萊仍然不能生育。時間過去，現實沒有改變，撒萊心裏的壓力、恐懼、羞辱和無奈越來越深。
所以她說：「或者我可以因她得孩子。」
這句「或者我可以」，其實也常常出現在我們心裏。
或者我可以用自己的方法，讓事情快一點成就。
或者我可以這樣安排，讓神的應許早一點實現。
或者我可以靠自己的計劃、經驗和控制，去完成神放在我心裏的事。
但創世記第16章讓我們看見，人的方法看似可以加快結果，卻常常帶來更深的混亂。撒萊把夏甲給亞伯蘭，夏甲懷孕後，家庭關係立刻出現裂痕。撒萊受傷，夏甲被苦待，亞伯蘭也被捲入衝突之中。
然而，人的軟弱不能廢掉神的信實，人的錯誤也不能使神停止憐憫。神看見撒萊的恐懼，也看見夏甲在曠野中的痛苦。神仍然介入，仍然說話，仍然看顧。
今天，神要教導我們，在等候中讓祂掌權。
一、讓神安穩我們害怕的心
創世記16:2
撒萊對亞伯蘭說：「耶和華使我不能生育。求你和我的使女同房，或者我可以因她得孩子。」亞伯蘭聽從了撒萊的話。
撒萊的「或者我可以」，表面是焦急和恐懼，深處卻是信靠開始搖動。
當神的應許遲遲未成就，人最容易不是公開否認神，而是在心裏開始懷疑：神會不會太慢？神會不會忘記？如果我不做些甚麼，事情會不會沒有出路？
在等候中讓神掌權，第一步不是立刻找方法，而是讓神先安穩我們害怕的心。
真正的信心，不是假裝自己沒有恐懼，而是在恐懼中仍然把心帶回神面前，讓神的平安恢復我們對祂信實、時間和方法的信靠。
二、把自己的方法交回給神
創世記16:3-4
於是亞伯蘭的妻子撒萊將使女埃及人夏甲給了丈夫為妾；那時亞伯蘭在迦南已經住了十年。亞伯蘭與夏甲同房，夏甲就懷了孕；她見自己有孕，就小看她的主母。
撒萊的方法，在當時文化中看似合理，也似乎可以解決問題。但問題是，這方法不是出於神的吩咐，而是出於人的焦急。
不是所有有效的方法，都是神的方法。
不是所有快速的結果，都是神喜悅的結果。
不是所有看似合理的安排，都代表我們正走在神的心意裏。
在等候中讓神掌權，就是願意把自己的方法交回給神，不讓自己的血氣走在神前面。
我們需要學習問神：這是不是祢的時間？這是不是祢的方法？這是不是祢要我走的路？
神的應許，不需要靠人的血氣完成。神所開始的事，祂有自己的時間，也有自己的方法。
三、把造成的後果交託給神
創世記16:6-7、13
亞伯蘭對撒萊說：「使女在你手下，你可以隨意待她。」撒萊苦待她，她就從撒萊面前逃走了。耶和華的使者在曠野書珥路上的水泉旁遇見她。
夏甲就稱那對她說話的耶和華為「看顧人的神」。
人的方法帶來了真實的後果。撒萊受傷，夏甲受苦，亞伯蘭沒有好好承擔，整個家庭進入張力和破裂之中。
但就在曠野中，神尋見夏甲。神沒有忽略她的痛苦，也沒有因為人的錯誤就停止祂的憐憫。
這裏讓我們看見一個很重要的屬靈平衡：神有憐憫，但祂的憐憫不等於人不用承擔後果；神會看顧，但祂的看顧不等於人可以永遠逃避現實。
把造成的後果交託給神，不是說事情立刻沒有代價，而是相信即使有代價，神仍然能帶領；即使有痛苦，神仍然看見；即使人的錯誤已經造成影響，神的救贖計劃仍然不會被攔阻。
總結
在等候中讓神掌權，不是甚麼都不做，而是：
讓神安穩我們害怕的心，
把自己的方法交回給神，
把造成的後果交託給神。
當神掌管我們的心，我們就不再被恐懼推動。
當神掌管我們的方法，我們就不再用血氣催促應許。
當神掌管我們的後果，我們就能在混亂和曠野中重新得著方向。
神的應許不需要人的焦急去完成；神的信實也不會因人的軟弱而失效。
今天，讓我們不再讓「或者我可以」主導我們的生命，而是重新回到神面前，讓祂掌權，讓祂帶領，讓祂按祂的時間和方法成就祂的應許。
禱告
天父，我們承認，很多時候我們在等候中會害怕、焦急，也會想用自己的方法替祢開路。
求祢安穩我們害怕的心，恢復我們對祢信實、時間和方法的信靠。
求祢幫助我們把自己的方法交回給祢，不再用血氣催促祢的應許，也不再走在祢前面。
若我們曾因焦急、控制或錯誤選擇造成後果，求祢幫助我們勇敢面對，並把一切交託給祢。願祢在混亂中整理，在曠野中說話，在痛苦中施憐憫。
主啊，願我們今天重新學習，在等候中讓祢掌權。讓祢掌管我們的心，掌管我們的方法，也掌管我們所面對的一切後果。
奉主耶穌基督的名禱告，阿們。
創世記 16
1 亞伯蘭的妻子撒萊不給他生兒女。撒萊有一個使女，名叫夏甲，是埃及人。 2 撒萊對亞伯蘭說：「耶和華使我不能生育，求你和我的使女同房，或者我可以因她得孩子。」亞伯蘭聽從了撒萊的話。 3 於是亞伯蘭的妻子撒萊將使女埃及人夏甲給了丈夫為妾，那時亞伯蘭在迦南已經住了十年。
4 亞伯蘭與夏甲同房，夏甲就懷了孕。她見自己有孕，就小看她的主母。 5 撒萊對亞伯蘭說：「我因你受屈！我將我的使女放在你懷中，她見自己有了孕，就小看我。願耶和華在你我中間判斷。」 6 亞伯蘭對撒萊說：「使女在你手下，你可以隨意待她。」撒萊苦待她，她就從撒萊面前逃走了。
7 耶和華的使者在曠野書珥路上的水泉旁遇見她， 8 對她說：「撒萊的使女夏甲，你從哪裡來？要往哪裡去？」夏甲說：「我從我的主母撒萊面前逃出來。」 9 耶和華的使者對她說：「你回到你主母那裡，服在她手下。」 10 又說：「我必使你的後裔極其繁多，甚至不可勝數。」 11 並說：「你如今懷孕要生一個兒子，可以給他起名叫以實瑪利，因為耶和華聽見了你的苦情。 12 他為人必像野驢，他的手要攻打人，人的手也要攻打他。他必住在眾弟兄的東邊。」 13 夏甲就稱那對她說話的耶和華為「看顧人的神」，因而說：「在這裡我也看見那看顧我的嗎？」 14 所以這井名叫庇耳拉海萊。這井正在加低斯和巴列中間。
15 後來夏甲給亞伯蘭生了一個兒子，亞伯蘭給他起名叫以實瑪利。 16 夏甲給亞伯蘭生以實瑪利的時候，亞伯蘭年八十六歲。
Dear family, peace to you.
In Genesis 15, God personally spoke to Abram and told him not to be afraid. God also made a covenant with Abram and promised that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. This shows us that God’s promise is not fulfilled by human strength, but by God’s own faithfulness.
But when we come to Genesis 16, God’s promise had not yet been fulfilled. Sarai was still unable to have children. As time passed and nothing seemed to change, the pressure, fear, shame, and helplessness in Sarai’s heart became heavier.
So she said, “Perhaps I can…”
This phrase, “perhaps I can,” often appears in our hearts too.
- Perhaps I can use my own method to make things happen faster.
- Perhaps I can arrange things this way so God’s promise can come sooner.
- Perhaps I can rely on my own plan, experience, and control to accomplish what God has placed in my heart.
But Genesis 16 shows us that human methods may seem to speed things up, yet they often bring deeper confusion. Sarai gave Hagar to Abram. After Hagar became pregnant, the family relationship immediately became broken. Sarai was hurt, Hagar was mistreated, and Abram was caught in the conflict.
Yet human weakness cannot cancel God’s faithfulness, and human mistakes cannot stop God’s mercy. God saw Sarai’s fear, and He also saw Hagar’s pain in the wilderness. God still stepped in, still spoke, and still cared.
Today, God teaches us how to let Him lead us in the waiting.
- Let God steady our fearful hearts
Genesis 16:2
Sarai’s “perhaps I can” looked like anxiety and fear on the surface, but deeper inside, her trust had begun to shake.
When God’s promise is delayed, people may not openly deny God. But deep inside, they may begin to wonder: Is God too slow? Has God forgotten? If I do not do something now, will there still be a way forward?
The first step in letting God lead the waiting is not to find a method immediately, but to let God steady our fearful hearts.
True faith does not mean pretending that we have no fear. True faith means bringing our hearts back to God in the middle of fear, so that His peace can restore our trust in His faithfulness, His timing, and His way.
- Give our own methods back to God
Genesis 16:3-4
Sarai’s method may have seemed reasonable in the culture of that time. It seemed practical, possible, and effective. But the problem was that this method did not come from God’s instruction; it came from human anxiety.
Not every effective method is God’s method.
Not every quick result is a result that pleases God.
Not every reasonable arrangement means we are walking in God’s will.
To let God lead the waiting means we are willing to give our own methods back to Him. We do not let our human effort run ahead of God.
We learn to ask: Is this Your timing? Is this Your way? Is this the path You want me to take?
God’s promise does not need to be fulfilled by human striving. What God begins, He will fulfill in His own time and in His own way.
- Entrust the consequences to God
Genesis 16:6-7, 13
Human methods brought real consequences. Sarai was hurt, Hagar suffered, Abram failed to take proper responsibility, and the whole family entered into tension and brokenness.
But in the wilderness, God found Hagar. God did not ignore her pain, and He did not stop showing mercy because of human mistakes.
This shows us an important spiritual balance: God is merciful, but His mercy does not mean people do not need to face consequences. God cares for us, but His care does not mean we can escape reality forever.
To entrust the consequences to God does not mean there will be no cost. It means that even when there is a cost, God can still lead. Even when there is pain, God still sees. Even when human mistakes have caused damage, God’s redemptive plan is not stopped.
Summary
Letting God lead the waiting does not mean doing nothing. It means:
Letting God steady our fearful hearts.
Giving our own methods back to God.
Entrusting the consequences to God.
When God leads our hearts, we are no longer driven by fear.
When God leads our methods, we no longer use human striving to rush His promise.
When God leads us through the consequences, we can receive direction again, even in confusion and wilderness.
God’s promise does not need our anxiety to complete it. God’s faithfulness is not cancelled by our weakness.
Today, let us no longer allow “perhaps I can” to lead our lives. Let us return to God, let Him take the lead, and trust Him to fulfill His promise in His time and in His way.
Prayer
Father, we come before You and admit that we often become weak in the waiting.
Many times, You have already given us Your promise, but when things have not yet happened, we become afraid and anxious. We try to open a way for ourselves.
Lord, steady our fearful hearts. Restore our trust in Your faithfulness, Your timing, and Your way.
Help us give our own methods back to You. Teach us not to rush Your promise with human striving, and not to run ahead of You.
If our anxiety, control, or wrong choices have brought consequences, help us face them with humility. We entrust everything to You. May You bring order in confusion, speak in the wilderness, and show mercy in our pain.
Lord, today we choose to let You lead the waiting. Lead our hearts, lead our methods, and lead us through every consequence we face.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Genesis 16
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.”
6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.
7 Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
9 The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11 And the Angel of the Lord said to her:
“Behold, you are with child,
And you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
12 He shall be a wild man;
His hand shall be against every man,
And every man’s hand against him.
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
13 Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
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