Reading today in Genesis 13 through 16 you will find the promises to Abram, and the human attempt to fulfill a promise in their own way; but it was not according to God’s will.

Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.  And Sarai said unto Abram, “Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her.” And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.  And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.  And Sarai said unto Abram, “My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.”  But Abram said unto Sarai, “Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee.” And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.  And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.  And he said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou, and whither wilt thou go?” And she said, “I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.”  And the angel of the LORD said unto her, “Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands….”
Genesis 16:1-9

For Friday, January 06, 2024 read Genesis 17 through 19.