FRIDAY - 9TH JUNE, 2023
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO
THE END OF ALL ARGUMENTS
READ Gen.16:1-9
Genesis 16:9, KJV
"And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands."
The Bible says, "only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom" (Prov. 13:10, KJV). If conflict is birthed by pride, another cause must have triggered pride itself. Today, you will have an insight into a major trigger of pride.
Sarah is not giving birth. As fit the cultural practice of the days they lived in, she gives her maid to her husband. One, be mindful of unbiblical practices and culture. This same practice is very popular in many cultures today though may be exhibited in another guise. It is the very excuse for which many men ended up in polygamy. Friends and the elderly would advise such barren woman to let the husband marry a second wife under the pretext that the mercy of that one may make her too give birth. Often in Yoruba land, the husband might have impregnated a woman before seeking to make it official by declaration through the family's elders. It is on this wise you'll see these elders encourage the first woman to accept the second wife (with child) and let it be. They'd say "who knows whether your toleration of her would bring your own long awaited joy also." This is a fallacy and a great error though we plainly know that rejoicing with the joyful and sorrowing with the sorrowful reveals us as good Christians and also has great rewards. Yet, let no one put you in bondage or make you believe this cultural practice is an acceptable thing for you to do especially when you tarry in childbirth. Never encourage your husband to get another wife. This is calamity. If you profess being a Christian, then it still means, "none shall be barren in the land" (Exo.23:26) must be fulfilled on you and so it was fulfilled on Sarah eventually and at God's time for the unfolding of that promise child - Isaac. However, if your husband betrays your trust which results in impregnating another, you may need to exercise forgiveness and wait for God's vindication. In such case, you may show your disappointment but never seek to revenge anyone. Vengeance is solitarily the Lord's.
This offer of Sarah to Abraham rather proves to be a counter assistance because as soon as Hagar gets pregnant, she despises Sarah and loses total regard for her. It must have been a very obvious act because Abraham himself couldn't deny it not happening. No wonder he says, "your servant is in your hands, deal with her as it pleases you." And I'll say that's wise of Abraham to allow. Abraham does well to give Sarah the recognition of a mother and lord over Hagar. As her mistress, let her take responsibility and think wise how best to deal with her maid. There and then, the Bible records, "and Sarah deals harshly with Hagar so much that she flees." Did you read that? She deals hardly, terrifyingly and bluntly with her. Where one should take a stand against misbehaviour or plain evil, one should. Where a leader should be strong and demand a call and meeting up with the standard, he shouldn't mellow down. He should exercise leadership. He should exercise authority. He bears the sword not to take advantage of any but to pay unto them as their works may be. No wonder, God regards the state itself as the minister of God (Rom.13:3-7). Leadership is just like that.
But fleeing isn't the solution where pride is the cankerworm eating your Hagar up. That Hagar is blessed with what Sarah do not have yet and by which Abraham could be forever won to her (Hagar's) side isn't and shouldn't be a call for the disrespect of Sarah - the one who made her, who gave her life as it were and permitted her to live and take a being in her being. This is a message to many of you who are fond of turning as dogs to bite the hands that have fed you and to cut relentlessly the tree under which you have received shade that God will never support you. Rather, a fire will come out to devour. All of you, in your measure and multitude shall meet with disgrace and disappointment. If you'll push it further, you'll witness what it means for the flood to carry unrepentant rebels away in their rebellion. Herein, the Lord Himself shall put a stop to you. A total full stop!
To affirm God's justness, an angel of the Lord appears to Hagar telling her to go and submit to her mistress. You see, this is the problem of many Christians though born again. Submission is not an impartation. It is learnt. It is a road that must be walked. You can't catch submission; you can't receive it just like that. It won't fall on you like water from the waterfalls. You'll learn submission just like I climbed many years ago by effort the Idanre Hills in Ondo State, Nigeria. May I say a thing therefore this morning that all of you who have escaped submission must as a matter of fact learn it. You may flee and seek to establish yourself like Hagar in a new colony; you may run from that 'burdensome' parents, master or mentor but an occasion will always recall you back to the course on submission that you haven't taken. As a matter of surety, you must learn submission. The Bible wrote of Jesus that, 'though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8, KJV). A true mark that submission doesn't fall on any like an over ripe fruit anticipating the ground. It is gathered. Yes, it is, at the point of hardship where confessions like, "I can't take it any longer; I'm weary; but he or she is not always right etc" are predominant. God just wants you to be there enjoying it though you're only long-suffering to endure it. God might be speaking to somebody today that you can't really escape. Wherever you go, this carry over course on submission will be the albatross in your life. It will sell you cheaply to the world and hinder your promotion until you can swallow your pride and relinquish your office of, "I am the bird laying the golden egg". It is until then you can be unto Mary who sits at Jesus' feet with the intention to be taught. If you're still arguing or debating the issue of submission, it is not good for your making. There are those God is targeting today. They are the rebellious children, spouse and disobedient and unyielding to correction generally. Now that you've escaped for your life to declare an unripe independence, God needs to make you see that He doesn't sponsor or support rebellion. If He tells Hagar to go back and submit to her mistress, He's telling you to go submit where you've openly defied it all. And may I tell you, you can choose to go on in your rebellion. But be assured that no wise fellow (in any Abraham) or God's minister will endorse you. You'll rather become godless by losing God as you persist in this disobedience. It is either submission or nothing else. It's yielding of that right of yours and saying, "put your yoke on me", even if it's heavy, I'll esteem it as light that can present you acceptable. But I assure you that you'll find it light. Only what you struggle with is what is heavy and full of strain. What you submit to will be easy to bear. So, the end of all arguments and self vindication is that when you're wrong and have offended, God can tell you and you can submit to His saying. If God can convince you you're wrong like He did to Hagar, you'll stop striving against rightness and its acceptance in your mind. Many people are afflicted with prejudice. They believe any who sees a speck of wood in their eyes can't be correct. They'll quickly apportion blame and show such the log in his own eyes too. On this ground, you need the Holy Spirit as a Christian to speak strongly to you and convict you of sin and all unrighteousness. Trusting He's not bias and human, that'll be the end of all arguments. However, this is only a recommendation for rebellious Christians who have defied and openly resisted voices of correction first to them. I mean, "the run away and fleeing" Hagars. If God has shown you your area of disobedience, do well to repent immediately. Persisting in disobedience is a threat to your Christian journey.
PRAYER: Show me the area where I've refused to learn submission. I receive the grace and perseverance to bear the yoke of submission.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: 1 Kings 3:3-4:34; Acts 6:1-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Proverbs 16:26-27
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