Consequences!

Consequences

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Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Galatians 6:7-8 (ESV)

Have you ever stopped to realize what you say and what you do, especially on important matters, has a lasting impact on your life, as well as those around you? There are countless stories in the Bible that give us examples of how past choices that were made, went on to create lasting ripple effects from generation to generation.

Take for example the story of Abraham, his wife Sarah, and their servant Hagar that begins in Genesis 16:1. Just to recap the story, Abraham and his wife were very old and never had a child, despite God telling Abraham that he would be the father of nations.  So, Sarah gets the idea of using her maidservant, Hagar, to have a child with Abraham, thus fulfilling God’s promise. In the culture at that time, this was a normal practice, something like a surrogate parent in modern times. From what we can tell, both Abraham and Sarah, did not ask God beforehand, if this is a plan they should implement. Instead, they felt they could “make it” work using their own initiative and cultural norms. Ultimately, however, Sarah did have a child years later that they named Issac.  As for Hagar and her son Ishmael? They eventually were banished and sent away from Abraham’s Camp.  Most scholars will agree that to this day, that decision has resulted in the current relations between the Muslim and Jewish people in the Middle East.

Another biblical story is the one with David and Bathsheba, 2 Samuel 1.  The recap here is David lusted after another man’s wife (Bathsheba), committed adultery with her, and as a result, she became pregnant with his child.  Due to a series of events and decisions, David had her husband killed in order for him to marry her. Check out the entire story, in the Bible. From these decisions, the first child they created died, and David from that moment on had major family drama and problems that also spilled into future generations.

One could easily look back on the mistakes those in the Bible made and think that we wouldn’t make the same mistakes, however, we certainly do. Perhaps not the exact same scenarios but, we all have made mistakes based on our own decisions. By not listening to God’s word and instead listening to the world and/or our flesh, we end up creating situations that can have ripple effects for generations to come.

Not saying we all have to walk through life on eggshells, trying to be perfect because we cannot. But I am encouraging us to daily read God‘s word, pray, and really seek to walk in the light of His precepts. If we make decisions based on His principles, we will avoid a lot of headaches and heartaches, for ourselves, for others, and for future generations. 

Blessings,

Angélique

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