By Pastor Alex Ruelo
Who among you have done so many wrong things while waiting on God? Many people are very good at waiting. But what do you think is the biggest obstacle you face when you are waiting for something? Time. When you are waiting, it seems like forever. But with God, there is no time. He is not bound by time for He is timeless. Have you ever waited for a promise to be fulfilled but to no avail? What is you think it is God who promised you something but up to now, you are still waiting on it? Will you question Him?
Genesis 16:1-6 tells about the story of Sarai, Hagar and Abram. Since Sarai was not able to bear a child, she gave her servant, Hagar, to him, so he can sleep with her and she can bear a child. Hagar bore a child and because of that, she began to treat Sarai badly. When she told Abram, he told her to deal with her as she sees fit because she was her servant. So Sarai treated her badly that Hagar left.
Years before, God promised Abram that he will be a great nation. Since Sarai could not bear a child, she took matters into her own hands and allowed Abram to sleep with Hagar so they can have children. Many times, you are just like Sarai, taking matters into your own hands so that something you want can come to pass. If God does not provide for you, you can do something about it. The problem is, when things do not go they way you want, you find something or someone to blame. Who are you in the story?
After a while, God still moved in the story of Abram, Sarai and Hagar. But Abram died before God fulfilled His promise. Even if you do everything wrong, there is nothing you can do to upset God. Deuteronomy 28:1-2 said, “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:” this means you have to obey all God commands so that He will bless you. If. not, curses will be upon you. (Deut. 28:15) The blessings will depend on your performance. But because of the new covenant in the new testament, you are saved by grace. There were so many laws and commandments in the Old Testament. Nobody could follow all of it. But because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, even if you sin, you are a new creation and are united with God. He made you pure and holy and freed you from sin. 1 John 4:17 says, “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” Nobody should be afraid of judgement day. You are one spirit with Him. (1 Corinthians 6:17) Paul told the Ephesians to put on their new nature (Ephesians 4:24). You were created to be like God. But everybody makes mistakes everyday. But do not be dismayed. 1John 2:1 says, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” Jesus becomes your substitute; He pleads your case before the Father. Every time you sin, God sees His Son who died on the cross and who says, “Father, it is finished.” You are deemed pure and holy because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross.
God will always find a way to bring you back to His plan. When you take matters into your own hands, you sin. But even so, Romans 8:28 says, “So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose.” No matter how much you sin, God puts everything back together. It was never His intention for you to suffer. The bad things that happen to you, more often than not, are all your fault. Or the enemy’s. The Bible says he came to steal, kill and destroy. But when everything turns up well after your suffering, it is God’s doing. He brought you back into the right path.
God’s mercy is always available. Many people make mistakes and try to escape by going to a different place, thinking that they can and will change. But a place will not change you. People cannot change you. Your heart has to change for you to change. And nobody can change your heart but God. Psalms 23 tells you that goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life; and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever! No matter how big or small your sin is, goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.
Hagar was the casualty of war; still her son, Ishmael, became an entire nation. God’s promise prevailed. He never forgets His promises. When you trust that God only has good plans for you, all will go well. God will always redeem you even when you mess up. When you take matters into your own hands, surely you will fail. But He will still be there to pick you up when you fall. Just be still.