Click here to read the Old Paths Journal.
God's Back-Up Plan
1 Chronicles 1:28-29
"The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael. These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,"
I have never been one who likes back-up plans because I feel that when you have a back-up plan you have already planned for failure. However, when failure happens, you need to come up with a back-up plan to get you through your time of failure.
God's original plan for Abraham was to have one child who would be the one to carry on the promise of a nation. However, Abraham messed up God's original plan when he had an affair with Hagar, which resulted in an illegitimate child being born. Ishmael was that illegitimate child. Though Abraham messed up God's original plan, God came up with a back-up plan that He used to not only bless Isaac, but also Ishmael. Yes, the birthright went to Isaac, but in God's back-up plan He found a way to bless Ishmael. You can see from the verse above that God's back-up plan included blessing Ishmael by making a great nation come from him.
Christian, maybe you have messed up God's original plan for your life, let me encourage you that God has already come up with a back-up plan so that He can still use you. Yes, I know that you may feel embarrassed and shamed that you messed up God's original plan, but God will always come up with a back-up plan when we mess up His original plan. God's back-up plan is simply a manifestation of His mercy. When we mess up God's original plan, His mercy steps in and comes up with a back-up plan. God's mercy steps in and finds a way to use you from where you are. Though you will never find out what would have happened had you heeded to God's original plan, you can rest assured that God's mercy has come up with a plan to use you again.
Not only will God come up with a back-up plan when you mess up His original plan, but He can still bless you tremendously in that plan. God blessed David in His back-up plan. God blessed Peter in His back-up plan by using him on the day of Pentecost. God used Samson in His back-up plan by allowing him to have the greatest victory of his entire life. God blessed Adam and Eve in His back-up plan by coming up with a plan for man to be reunited with Him through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Yes, God's blessings can still be found in His back-up plan.
Maybe you have done something in your life where you messed up God's original plan. Let me encourage you that God has a plan where He can use you again. Young person, God can still use you if you lost your purity. God can still use you if your marriage fails. God can still use you after you have fallen into sin. No matter how bad you have messed up God's plan for your life, you need to understand that He can still you use.
If you have not messed up God's original plan, do your best to never make God come up with a back-up plan. The greatest blessings that God has for you are in His original plan. However, when you have messed up God's original plan, His mercy will come up with a back-up plan where He can use and bless you in a great way. Don't let your failure bring greater failure, but pick yourself up and find God's back-up plan for your life.