WHAT A GOD WE SERVE!
"Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised". - Hebrews 11:11
What l am about to share with you is so, so wonderful! It is about God's character to overlook and forgive our human frailties and to give us a passing mark; especially, when satan calls to question our faithfulness to the Lord. From a human standpoint, for example, Sarah should have no place in God's hall of fame (Hebrews chapter 11), especially for her initial dis-belief in the prophecy concerning her conception. Genesis 18:11-12 says thus: "Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After l am waxed old shall l have pleasure, my lord being old also?" In verses 13-14 of the same chapter, we see the Lord rebuke Sarah for her unbelief. Verse 15 shows Sarah denying that she lied.
Like l said, and humanly speaking, with all of these, Sarah should have no place in God's hall of fame for faith. But in our text above quoted, we see God's Word applaud Sarah for her faith. This is so because we serve a God who, with great indulgence washes up clean the failings of His children, and in place thereof, proclaims aloud their graces to the world. This is exactly what the blood of Jesus does for us. With the blood of Jesus, it's as if we never sinned! In Job 1:8, God applauded Job before satan as "perfect and an upright"; thus overlooking Job's constant fearfulness (Job 3:25). Also, in spite of Israel's sins against God in the wilderness, God rose up in defense of His people when Balak employed Balam to curse them; saying, "He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath He seen perverseness in Israel..." (Numbers 23:21). Similarly, Rehab's lie (see Joshua 2:3-7 ) is overlooked and she is remembered for her faith (Hebrews 11:31 ). Just last week, I showed us how God opened up the womb of Leah because she was hated. She was hated probably because she was consenting to the fraud by her father Laban by which she became wife to Jacob (Gen 29:21-22). Nevertheless, God wasn't pleased with her being hated and was therefore not consenting to it, despite that she was an active party to the fraud. The Bible says that "... when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb ... " (Gen 29:31). This is absolutely gracious of God! He deliberately chooses to overlook human frailties.
Men don't do that! Rather, they conversely will overlook all that is good in others and report only what is odious, bad and negative about them. But not so with God! This is what makes Him God. Much as He does not encourage sin (Romans 3:3-8; 6:1-2, 15), God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy; and will have compassion on whom He will have compassion (Romans 9:15 ) No one is qualified to impugn the judgment that He gives in favor of His children.
Who would therefore, not serve such a gracious God that winks at our failings; but accepts our weak services and overlooks our sincere imperfections, weakness and derelictions? Kindly join me to applaud in the highest tone this God, our God, the Father of mercies; "For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust" ( Psalm 103:14 ). PRAISE THE LORD!
PRAYER:
Dearest Heavenly Father, I reverence You with all of my being for Your loving kindness and mercies upon me as Your child. Thank You for overlooking my human errors, frailties and derelictions and for not giving up on me before the enemy, but holding me out as one in whom You delight Thyself in.