God Is Not through with You Yet

I love the Bible.

It’s a very real, practical and down-to-earth book. Very relatable. It doesn’t gloss over the characters’ foibles. It shows us that the characters struggle just like we do.

Sarah’s jealousy was never hidden. She was a very strong character who was overbearing and a nag. If you’re woke, you’ll describe her as wicked for instigating the expulsion of a mother with a child. Yet, she was called mother of many nations.

Abraham slept with his househelp and got her pregnant. That was scandalous. His wife asked him to? Was he eyeing the househelp before? He told lies in the face of imminent danger. Not exactly courageous if you ask me. We would probably see him as a simp but he was called a friend of God.

Esther has been touted as a role model. But was she? She entered a beauty contest where one of the conditions was to sleep with the king. Yes, she slept with the boss to climb the ladder and improve her career prospects. Yet, she has a book named after her.

Judah was a slave trader who patronised prostitutes and slept with his daughter-in-law. The products of the one-night stand were twins. A broke ass who slept with prostitutes on credit. But Jesus came through his tribe and is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Jacob’s story is well known. A serial cheat, liar and fugitive. He played a fast one on his blind father. He was the Hushpuppi of his generation. His inspiration was his mum who played one child against the other. Yet, he became so great God was named after him—God of Jacob.

David had an eye for women. He married Michal, Ahinoam, Abigail, Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah, Bathsheba. At least eight wives. He murdered the husband of one of them and almost murdered the husband of another. To be sure David was dying, they had to put a young lady beside him to keep him warm.

It was when he didn’t have an erection they knew he was gone. He was a poor father. His children were indisciplined. One almost killed him and another raped the sister. A house of commotion. Nevertheless, his lineage was established forever with him being an ancestor of Jesus.

Solomon only amplified his father’s weakness for ladies. He had a huge appetite for women. All shades. Plump. Slim. Arsenal. Manchester. He could not say no to any one that caught his eye. He never discriminated against any lady. All nationalities were present in his harem.

He was a very horny king with 700 wives and 300 concubines. They flocked around him because he had money to throw around. Excessive debauchery. Yet, God appeared to him many times and gave him an open cheque.

New Testament?

John the Baptist was very powerful and many feared him. A trailblazer who was quite unusual. Eccentric. But towards the end of his life, he doubted many things he knew. He gave in to depression and self-pity. Yet, no man born of woman is greater than him.

Peter was very presumptuous. A talkative who always spoke before he thinks. He was also impulsive. Behind the gra gra surface was a veneer of cowardice. A man who could not stand up to a maid later stood in front of thousands a few months later and led 3,000 to Christ in one day.

Paul was an accessory to murder. He was sold out to exterminating believers. He had gone to collect letters authorising him to arrest any believer he came across when he had a life-changing encounter that led to him writing half of the New Testament.

The Bible doesn’t gloss over imperfections but shows us that despite our frailties, we can experience God's grace and have His power made perfect in our weakness. Share on X

The Bible is a perfect book of imperfect characters—people just like us, warts and all. Their stories were written to reassure us that God’s grace is sufficient for us and His power is made perfect in our weakness.

The Bible did not gloss over their characters or whitewash them. Through their humanity, we also understand how frail we are and how we go through similar trials and temptations. Through their victories, we are encouraged that we can also overcome our frailties and be victorious.

Don’t give up! God is not through with you yet.

“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]”. (Hebrews 4:15-16 Amplified)

Selah.