Snap back to reality, oh there goes gravity!

Eminem, who is a secular rapper that I do not recommend, came out with a song in the early 2000's called "Loose Yourself". While vulgar, there is a clean section of the song that says, "So here I go, it's my shot. Feet fail me not, this may be the only opportunity I got. You gotta loose yourself in the moment,  you own it, you better never let it go. You only get one shot, do not miss your chance, because opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo."

This idea that we only have one chance for opportunity in life is embraced from the earliest of history. Horace, sometime around 40 BC coined the phrase "Carpe Diem" or "seize the day". This was actually embraced by the early rabbi's as well in the "Pirkei Avot", written by priests for the "oral torah" or the recording of the traditions of the rabbinical teachings from as early as 630 BC. They had a saying "if not now, then when".

In Genesis 16, we see Abram loose himself when he listens to Sarai and takes Hagar as a second wife and a way to have the heir promised by God, 10 years earlier. This act of disobedience to God shows not only a lack of patience but also a strong willed heart, wanting the promise of God without having to wait for His timing. Sarai herself comes up with the idea and scripture says that Abram "listened to the voice of Sarai". The Hebrew translation would more appropriately read "Abram obeyed the voice of Sarai". Interestingly enough, Sarai's name actually translates to "dominant" or "head". In this passage, Abram obeys Sarai's will instead of God's, leading to every key relationship being strained. Sarai becomes angry at both Hagar and Abram after Hagar conceives and we have the sense that Sarai is angry at God, as she accounts her barrenness to His will. And she is right. It was God's will that Sarai be barren until late in life to show His miraculous intervention. No one would ever attribute Isaac to the natural power of Abram and Sarai, but rather God's will and faithfulness to His covenant to make Abram into a great nation.

In the very next chapter Abram's name is changed to Abraham ("father of a multitude") and Sarai is changed to Sarah ("princess") and God reaffirms His will to make an everlasting covenant between Abraham's descendants. This is the start of the nation of Israel and the line of Christ, the Messiah. God had His plan and would bring it to fruition in His time.

Psalm 42:5 says "Why are you in despair , O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, for the help of His presence." When we are impatient, we let our emotions dictate our decision making. Our despair and frustration is often simply a lack of patience. But it can lead to sin. Often times, the penalty for our sin is living with it's consequence. Abraham and Sarah would forever have his relationship with Hagar between them. Ishmael was born into a house of anger and disagreements, knowing that he was an illegitimate child, without rights as an heir (although God promises blessings for Ishmael) and his mother lives the life of a servant, rather than a devoted wife.

James 5 tells us to be patient for the Lord's timing and to strengthen our hearts. The Lord knows we are tempted to rush His plan. He knows that we have a difficult time waiting, especially when our view of reality is so limited compared to God's. Sarai saw the reality of her barrenness and gave Hagar to Abram. But when Hagar conceived, a new reality of pain, anger, resentment, bitterness and frustration set in. God still kept His covenant to be faithful to Abraham, but the conception of Ishmael forever changed their household and their lives. That is why patience is a fruit of God's Spirit in us, and not something we can come up with on our own. Sarai was snapped back to God's reality and saw the gravity of her poor decision, compared to the joy of the birth of Isaac.

But God is so faithful and gracious. He changes Sarai's name from "dominant" to "princess". And that is where all our hearts need to move. We need to move from being dependent on our own selves and trying to handle our lives on our own, to being a princess of God, His daughter, under His care. He has great blessing and joy for us, if we can be patient to receive it. His is the ultimate reality and He has His best already planned for our lives. Hope in God and praise Him again!