Responsibility

Genesis 16:5 - Then Sarai said to Abram, "This is all your fault!  I put my servant into your arms, but now that she's pregnant she treats me with contempt.  The Lord will show who's wrong - you or me!"

Sarah was upset with the way things had turned out.  Her plan to give her husband a son wasn't working out the way she thought it would.  But she wouldn't accept responsibility for her role in it.  And neither did Abraham.  He was just as responsible for things happening the way they did as she was, and he didn't acknowledge it, nor did he want to deal with it.  Verse 6 tells us that he put the responsibility of dealing with the problem on Sarah.  As the leader of his family, he had a responsibility to handle it, not delegate it.  A leader delegates tasks, not responsibility.

But God still loved Abraham, and continued to bless him.  Why?  Abraham had proved that he wasn't perfect.  He had shown regularly that he was a flawed human that had several shortcomings.  It was because of his faith.  The Bible tells us that Abraham was counted righteous because of his faith, and God blessed him because of it (Genesis 15:6, Galatians 3:9).  The great part about this, is that we all receive the same blessings as Abraham because of our faith (Galatians 3:9).

Abraham was a good servant of God, who did what God told him to do.  He believed and trusted in God's plan for him, and knew that God would bless him even though he wasn't perfect.  What Abraham did take responsibility for, was his faith.  He knew that he was responsible for his actions toward's God's calling and instructions to him, and he took that very seriously.  This is why God blessed him.  Although he wasn't perfect in every area of his life, he was very good when it came to his relationship with God.

This is why God made the covenant with Abraham, and confirmed it with us in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  Not because we were perfect.  Far from it.  If we were perfect, Jesus didn't need to give His life for us.  But we aren't...and He did.  God has delegated the task of being responsible for our relationship with Him to each and every one of us.  I have heard people say, "Why doesn't He come down to us and show Himself so we could know He is real?"  Well...He did do that when Jesus came to earth.  The reason He doesn't do that now, is because then faith wouldn't be required.  It is by faith we are saved, not seeing.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for saving me.  Thank You for confirming Your covenant with me by the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ.  I know I will never be perfect, and I know that You don't expect me to be either.  I pray that I continue to take the responsibility of my relationship with You seriously, and that I continue to seek You and Your will in everything I do.  I pray for those that aren't there yet because they're struggling with different issues, particularly if they're struggling with the idea of faith.  I pray their hearts will be softened and will come to accept You and Your sacrifice, and will come into a relationship with You.  In Jesus' name, Amen!



God Bless!!!