Faltering Faith and the Mercy of God

For the past two chapters, Abram has been at the heights, walking with God. He’s nobly and sacrificially rescued Lot in an epic battle, and the word of the Lord has come to him in dramatic fashion. God vows to uphold the covenant with Abram, to give him a land and a people, that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed, and this promise would continue through his very own son. But, there’s a delay. Sadly, Abram and Sarai do not respond to their continued childlessness with continued faith in the promises of God. They take things into their own hands and opt for a shortcut that brings consequences, for generations to come.

Abram and Sarai are a comfort to us in that we can relate to the struggle of wavering faith in this fallen world, but they also serve as a warning. Still, beyond all hope, we see the Lord’s mercy over their lives and in the life of one obscure young woman named Hagar, whose life is suddenly swept up in theirs.  

We see that the Lord sees us. He looks over us. Even in our sin and brokenness, we find him to be merciful, faithful to his promises, and able to accomplish his sovereign will despite our faltering faith.