(REFLECTIONS ON Galatians 4:21-31)

Abraham is the father of faith, because he believed in God’s promises. However, just like any person would, there were times of doubt in both Abraham and his wife Sarah’s minds as they were waiting for an offspring that could bring about God’s promises of a great nation.

As Sarah passed childbearing age, the thought of “impossible” entered in their minds, and “hopelessness” began to settle in. That is why Abraham’s hope in God is referred to as a “hope against hope.” Even when it was impossible to have children, and hopelessness should settle in, Abraham still hoped and believed in the faithfulness of God. However, they still had their moments of weakness.

Abraham’s hope resulted in the birth of Isaac through Sarah, and he was the son of promise, the miracle birth against all hopelessness. However, there was another son, from another woman named Hagar. Hagar was an Egyptian woman, a handmaiden to Sarah. During their time of doubt, Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham in order for him to give birth to an heir, a descendant.

In this time of weakness, Abraham and Sarah did not trust and depend on the promises of God, but tried to produce the promise on their own. Paul uses this story of Hagar and Sarah as an example to the Galatians. Although they are children of the promise through Jesus Christ, they were now trying to take control of these promises through the Law.

God’s promises to Abraham and Sarah would be fulfilled by God even against all hope, because of God’s faithfulness. God’s promises to us through Jesus Christ, will also be done, even against all hope, because of God’s faithfulness. However, the Galatians were trying to take things into their own hands, just like Abraham and Sarah through Hagar.

May we reflect on today’s Scripture and look at the times in our life when rather than trusting God, we have been tempted to trust in ourselves. Have we ever, or maybe it is something that we are struggling with now, depended more on our own works than the works of God?

A life of faith is trusting in God’s faithfulness even in hopeless times,
rather than trying to take control of hope with our own works.

Our own works will just lead us back into slavery to the world, rather than freedom in Christ. Yes, many times it seems better to take control of hope, but may we be reminded today that it is much better to continue to trust in God’s faithfulness even in seemingly hopeless times.

Our works may seem to produce short-term results, but we must remember that only the works of God lead to eternal results.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Galatians 4