Genesis Eighteen - Merciful & Just

"So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

Genesis 18:12-15

At times even in the midst of fear and wisdom we act foolishly. Knowing what to do, yet refusing to do so in form of fear (hopefully more so than rebellion). Is He not a merciful God who knows the hearts of men and even so graciously grants them grace, regardless of it being sins of iniquity or transgression? To whosoever repents and goes before the Lord and seeks forgiveness, will they not be forgiven? I ask myself lately the forms of true repentance. I had never really thought about it before. I didn't understand that repentance is the action that is granted once faith is given to a person. You repent in faith and seek forgiveness in faith and through that faith Christ's imputed righteousness is given to us. Not by our own merits are we even able to do so, the mere knowledge of knowing the wrong we have done is given by El Shaddai (God Almighty)..

However there are ways you can in fact repent in a "wrong" way. Who knew repentance was so complicated? Why is it all so difficult to grasp..? In Sarah's denial of laughing, I wonder how God saw her in that moment.. He must have had so much love for his daughter, so much grace.. She was afraid and lied to God Himself, yet He was gracious and kindly rebuked her for that when it could have easily been a reason for Him to take away or give away anything from her He was gracious. How He was so kind and loving to Abraham and Sarah.. How kind, gentle and gracious He is for those who He loves..

Wait Upon The Lord

"My soul, wait thou only upon God."

Psalm 62:6

Many a rock might be escaped, if we would let God take the helm; many a shoal or quicksand we might well avoid, if we would leave to his sovereign will to choose and to command. The old puritans said, "As sure as ever a Christian carves for himself he'll cut his own fingers;" and that is a great truth. Said another old divine, "He that goes before the cloud of God's providence goes on a fool's errand;" and so he does. 

We must mark God's providence leading us; and then let us go. But he that goes before providence will be very glad to run back again. Take your trouble, whatever it is, to the throne of the Most High and on your knees put up the prayer, "Lord, direct me." You will not go wrong. But do not do as some do. Many a person comes to me and says, "I want your advice, sir; as my minister, perhaps you could tell me what I ought to do." Sometimes it is about their getting married. Why, they have made up their minds before they ask me, they know that; and then they come to ask my advice. "Do you think that such and such a thing would be prudent, sir? Do you think I should change my position in life?" and so on. Now, first of all, I like to know, "Have you made your mind up?" In most cases they have—and I fear you serve God the same. 

We make up our mind what we are going to do, and often we go down on our knees, and say, "Lord, show me what I ought to do," and then we follow out our intention and say, "I asked God's direction." My dear friend, you did ask it, but you did not follow it, you followed your own. You like God's direction so long as it points you the way you wish to go, but if God's direction lead the contrary to what you considered your own interest, it might have been a very long while before you had carried it out. But if we in truth and verity do confide in God to guide us, we shall not go far wrong, I know.

August 2,1857 - Charles Spurgeon, Sermon No. 144

A Parent's Prayers

"We are very desirous, my son, that 

you should excel in everything that will make you truly 

happy and useful to your fellow men. In particular by 

no means neglect your duty to your Heavenly Father. 

Remember, what has been said with great truth, that 

he can never be faithful to others who is not so to his 

God and his conscience. I wish you constantly to keep 

in mind the first question and answer in that excellent 

form of sound words, the Assembly Catechism, 

"What is the chief end of Man? The answer you will 

readily recollect is "To Glorify God and enjoy Him forever." 

Let it be evident, my dear son, that this be your chief 

aim in all that you do, and may you be so happy as to 

enjoy Him forever is the sincere prayer of your 

affectionate parent..."

-S.F.B. Morse's Mother, Charlestown, June 28, 1805

Genesis Seventeen - Exchange

"I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him."

Genesis 17:16-19

The days are warmer and the mind heavier. My heart has lightened with it's burdens and I hope to God that it is His doing rather than my own selfishly prideful deceptions that are muddling the mind. A lot has been going on and I wonder why I am still, I trust the Lord has His ways of doing all things including my breaths that are breathed.. yet I am curious as to why I see it all unfolding and am perplexed why I lack further fear of it all. My mind races with sinful thoughts and doubts of God's love for wicked sinners such as myself and I know not how to put the breaks on them. I long for rest and seek His face weakly and feebly as it is a tiresome moment in my life.. Even so.. I'm so grateful for the revelations He has granted me and the peace He allows me to have even now. Grateful for those who remain and for those who have yet to return to Him.

Even with this chapter of seeing God declaring His love for Abraham and the grand promises He gives to him shows how much God truly does care for His children. Along with Abraham still being a finite human requesting the Lord to use just the bit that was allowed in his life shows how doubtful we all can be at times even with the visible grace God grants in our lives..

My own thoughts tend to go towards that thought process as well.. just like Abraham saying "what I see right now is enough" and God promises invisible things, a hope for the future and a hope for the eternity that is to come. Yet, it costs so much. It costs absolutely nothing yet everything to follow what He desires for us. The chapter ends with Abraham and the men of the whole of his clan to be circumcised and it's a brutal and painful process I'm sure, yet what is the pain of the present compared to the glory that is to come? That is the question we all have to ask ourselves continually isn't it. Is the exchange worth it, and do you have faith in that exchange?