In Pride and Prejudice – Elizabeth Bennett hated Mr. Darcy. She disdained him to his face, to his friends and in her heart. She thought he was sullen, arrogant and ruthless.
Then she found out she was wrong about everything.
She thought him sullen, but found he was gracious and kind.
She thought him ruthless, but found he was the kind of person who would anonymously restore someone’s reputation, not destroy it.
She thought him greedy a lover of money, but found him generous.
Most importantly she thought she hated him, but found out she loved him.
In order to love him, she had to repent. She had to tell her family that everything she thought and said about Mr. Darcy was wrong. She had to stop insulting him, and become his chief advocate. And toward him, she had to stop rebuffing his love, and start returning it. She swallowed her pride and did it all, because the hope and promise of love more than overwhelmed her pride.
In today’s text we see the God of love and promise approaching the worst of sinners, even though he is not even ready to receive it. And we see Isaac swallowing his pride and turning back to righteousness, because he knows the promises of God overwhelm his sin.
What I want for you today is this. I want you to stop trying to deal with your failures by minimizing them, denying them or running away from them. Face the ugliness of your sins and your inability to do anything about them, and in that place of weakness receive the promises of God.
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