Today’s exhortation – mess into greatness
One of the beauties about loving God is what He does with our mess. Society is quick to discard people with a dodgy past or people who have made mistakes, but not so in God’s economy. Abraham had a son with Sarah’s maid Hagar which wasn’t what God had planned for him. However even out of the mess that followed, God made greatness out of it. Ismael wasn’t the child of promise, but because Abraham loved God and was called according to His purpose, God made greatness out of his mess and made Ismael into a great nation.
From Hagar’s point of view, she may have been thinking she had made a mistake in having Ismael because if she hadn’t had him, she wouldn’t have lost her job and she would still have a home. And from Ismael’s point of view, he too would have been feeling that he was the cause of all the problems. Because of him, his mother no longer had a job or a home. In the midst of all of this mess, God comforted Hagar and told her, He will make Ismael a great nation. (Genesis 21:18). We mustn’t dwell on our mistakes or live with regret because it is written, And we know that ALL things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28). Thank You Jesus. Amen
Francis Hans-Jorie