The Promised Son - Isaac

Genesis 16 & Genesis 21:1-7

After Abram’s “mountain top” moment of being called God to father the nation of Israel, we see Abraham and Sarah drop the ball on their calling and faithfulness to God. Like Adam, Eve, and Noah, God calls Abraham and Sarah to reflect his goodness to the world and fill it with people who will glorify Him.

Yesterday, we read that Abraham trusted God and received righteousness. It seems like the start of a story where humanity is finally going to honor God and live within their calling, right? Not quite. Instead, we read a story where Sarah and Abraham take advantage of Hagar, get her pregnant for their own gain, and then kick her out to the wilderness. Not exactly reflective of trust in God or a commitment to their calling.

But even after this massive mistake, how does the Lord respond? Let’s reread Genesis 21:1:

“Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.”

The Lord was gracious to Sarah.

Even after she and Abraham had a massive failure, the Lord was still gracious.

And he didn’t skimp out on his promises either. He was gracious enough to give them their promised descendent, Isaac, from whom God’s people would come.

The narrative of human failure being met with God’s graciousness has replayed again. Like Abraham and Sarah, we will return God’s blessings with failure and sin. This is the human condition. But God still meets our biggest failures with graciousness.

Just as God gave Abraham and Sarah their promised son, Isaac, he has given us His promised son, Jesus. Because of Jesus’ gifted righteousness, we know that the Lord will meet us with grace even in our biggest mistakes.

Take a moment to reflect and journal on the following:

Where do you need to receive grace today?

Is there anything that you haven’t allowed God’s grace to touch?

Where are you choosing to take matters into your own hands rather than trusting God’s timing?