S) "18 And Abraham said to God, 'Oh that Ishmael might live before You!' 19 But God said, 'No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.'"
Genesis 17:18-19 (NASB)
O) God had just announced to Abram, that he will now be called Abraham, because he is going to be the father of many nations through his wife. Abraham is incredulous, since he is almost one hundred years old and Sarai (to be Sarah) is ninety years old. Abraham knew that God would give him and heir of his own, he believed that, but he wasn't patient and tried to take matters into his own hands (when Sarah gave her maidservant Hagar to Abraham, and Ishmael was born). So now here, Abraham is essentially asking God to use his mistake. I think Abraham knew that fathering Ishmael was outside of God's plan, because Abraham showed a lack of patience. Abraham was asking God to tell him that the mistake was okay. He was asking God to take what was broken, and make it better. God refuses, though. This is the grace of God. He is not interested in making our mistakes turn out okay. He is interested in newness. God's plan was for Abraham to father a nation of people to God Himself, through his wife Sarah. No impatient mistake, no forced events, no human will was going to alter God's plan.
A) I'm not sure God always works this way, but I sure do see it a lot. I make a mistake, and all I am asking is for God to take the results of my mistake, and make them a little less painful. Instead, He chooses to heal me, and gives me something new in His perfect grace. Perhaps the best summary of this lesson, is to say that when I make a mistake, and I am praying, I need to listen and believe. I need to believe fully, and pray faithfully, for God's perfect will to be done. If I find myself, after sinning, thinking that I have ruined everything that God has for me, then I am not listening to God, I think. God does not want to glue together, all of the pieces of a broken vase. I think He is more interested in giving me a new vase. This is the grace that drives me to worship and obedience.
P) Father, Your grace is so deep, and so complete, that I sometimes lack the words to describe it. You are so good to me, and the only way I can explain it, is to say that You want to be good to me. You choose to give me grace because You love me. That is an overwhelming concept. All I want is for Your will to be done, Father God. Have Your way with me. When I make mistakes, give me the faith to believe that You will not be persuaded by my failures. Open my eyes and ears, to know Your will, and give me the strength to do Your will. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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