Stories of Faith & Grace

Some stories in Scripture feel uncomfortably familiar. They show us not only faith and miracles, but also impatience, broken relationships, and the struggle for survival. One of those stories is that of Sarah, Abraham, and Hagar. It’s not a tidy narrative. There’s frustration, pain, blame, and running away. And yet—woven through it all—we see the covenant-keeping faithfulness of God. The Weight of Waiting Sarah had waited years for a child. Every passing season must have deepened her ache, especially in a culture where barrenness was a heavy stigma. Out of desperation, she offered her Egyptian servant, Hagar, to Abraham as a way to “solve” the waiting. Abraham agreed, and soon Hagar was pregnant. But instead of solving the problem, the household unravelled. Hagar despised Sarah. Sarah mistreated Hagar. Abraham stood torn in the middle. What began as a human solution quickly gave rise to resentment and division.   The God Who Sees the Overlooked Hagar fled into the wil...

Theme: God’s Covenant Kindness Despite Our Unworthiness Bible Verse: “ So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table like one of the king’s sons. ” — 2 Samuel 9:11 (NIV) Reflection There’s a tenderness in this story that always moves me. Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s son, crippled from childhood, living in a forgotten place called Lo-Debar — a town whose name means “no pasture, no word.” It was a barren land for a broken man. Once, he had been a prince by birth. Now, he was a fugitive by circumstance — hiding from a king he thought wanted him dead. But one day, the King remembered him . David, moved by covenant love — not transaction, not politics — asked, “Is there anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” When Mephibosheth was brought trembling before David, he expected judgment. But instead, he heard mercy: “ Do not fear… you shall eat bread at my table continually .” (2 Samuel 9:7 NKJV) What a picture of grace — the undeserved ki...