Recently I linked to a great article from Calm.Healthy.Sexy. Here’s part of the post:

“This idea – that some things can’t be forced to happen on our schedule – applies to so many things.  Changes we want to see in our marriages, decisions we want our children to make, the outcome of an illness, our hopes for a business or project – all of them include elements that can’t be forced to operate according to our timing.  So while we work hard to make them happen, peace comes only when we allow them to happen in their own time.” [A Thought for Reducing Stress and Increasing Calm – Maybe the Time Isn’t Right]

Gaye is absolutely right, but there is another danger common to men – making something happen before God’s time. I’ve done this more often than I care to admit, and I know I’m not alone. By pure force of will, I can make something happen before it should. Rarely does that end even close to well.

We read about this in the Bible. God promised Abram a son. Sarai decided she was too old and suggested Abram help God by having sex with her Hagar, her Egyptian servant. Abram went along with this plan (dude, really?) and the result was a son named Ishmael. The descendants of Ishmael have been at war with the Jews for a very long time.

I have (mostly) learned God does not need my help, and I try hard not to conceive any Ishmaels. A while ago, we were talking with good friends about getting an RV and travelling the country doing ministry. I commented I did not want the RV to be named Ishmael! I want to be in God’s will and His time. His will at the wrong time is not His will.

Have you conceived any Ishmaels? Are you trying to conceive one now?

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