Forever, O LORD, Your Word is settled in heaven.
Psalm 119:89
In the Word of God, one can find about everything that pertains to life. One will find deceit, murder, intrigue, conspiracy, and ill-conceived actions. In the Book of Genesis alone one can the mighty power of God at work in the creation of all things including man; the disobedience of the man and woman that He created; the judgment and also the mercy that He gave them; the digression of mankind into sin and idolatry; and the judgment on all but Noah and his family. The list goes on and on.
There is one such story man’s impatience that has brought sorrow, woe and war ever since. However, in that story is also seen the mercy and grace of God to all of mankind.
Abraham and Sarah failed to trust God and she gave her Egyptian servant to him that he might have an heir and of course Ishmael was born. That didn’t work out so well for there was now a change of attitude of the servant (Hagar) so Sarah laid the blame on Abraham. She said, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me.” Sarah treated Hagar badly so she fled out of the encampment and there in her desperation God was merciful to her. The Angel of the Lord spoke to her and instructed her to go back and submit to Sarah.
Hagar then said, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13)
Of course that was not the end of the story. Ishmael was born and that story has been going on now for centuries and will continue until Jesus comes and sets everything right.
The whole point is this: read the Word of God for in it you will find like a crimson thread woven throughout the pages of the Bible the merciful hand of God for His creation. Whatever else you may read about in the Bible you will see how greatly God loves you and wants the best for you. His Word will never change because God never changes.
