The book of Genesis is a book of origins. In fact, the title itself, “Genesis”, is the Greek word meaning “origins”. The Hebrew title of the book of Genesis is “bereshith” (ברשית) which means “in the beginning”.
We find in Genesis the origins for creation (the physical world), origins of humanity, origins of sin, and the origins of the people of Israel through Abraham. Ultimately, when we add all of these things together, what we have in Genesis are the origins for the story of redemption—God’s redemptive plan for the world through his chosen people.
Thinking about Abraham (as well as the other patriarchs), isn’t it interesting that God’s plan to save the world included using the very people that are the problem?
We read in the story of Abraham and his family how they had all sorts of problems. Abraham and Sarah couldn’t have children, and even when they finally did, their children and their grandchildren were a mess!
Jacob was a liar, a thief, and even resisted God. He lied to his own father and betrayed his brother and wrestled with an angel of the Lord. This Jacob is the one through whom God would use to redeem the world.
This isn’t only true of Abraham and Jacob in Genesis, and Israel in the Old Testament. This is also true of the church today. God’s World Renewal Plan involves using the problem people of the world to transform the world for his glory. God’s plan involves using even the trouble-makers for His plan.
This reminds me of a story about G.K. Chesterton. There was a newspaper article during Chesterton’s time that published a subject for readers to respond to, titled, “What’s the Problem With the World?”. Chesterton, wrote this to the editor: “Dear Mr. Editor, I am. Sincerely, G.K. Chesterton.”
What is fascinating (and quite ironic) about this is that Chesterton, while claiming to be the problem with the world, had a writing ministry that had a tremendous transforming impact on society. Chesterton’s personal testimony of coming to faith, chronicled in Orthodoxy became a beacon to a dark world.
The point is this: God, by His strength, can be strong in our weaknesses. He uses the problem people to become the solution people.
This sounds a bit like the cross, doesn’t it? The problem of the world is violence, injustice, betrayal, murder…and the list goes on. Yet God, through the violent, unjust murder of His Son on the cross brings life and hope and salvation and redemption to the world.
If God shows a pattern throughout history of using the problems of the world to bring redemption and beauty, imagine what he can do with us. Image what he can do with our problems.
We, the problem-people of the twenty-first century, God wishes to use to be the solution-people. Our problems are God’s opportunity to redeem the world.
