Can you remember a time when you felt God’s love, even when you felt like you didn’t deserve it? In this verse in Psalms, the author is asking the Lord to “forgive his iniquity, though it is great.” He knows he doesn’t deserve forgiveness, but he is asking God for it anyway. God often shows mercy and grace in this way and forgives people when they least deserve it.  

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There is a story in Genesis 21:8-21 with Hagar and Ishmael, Abraham’s son. Abraham has a child, named Ishmael, with his and Sarah’s servant, Hagar. A few years later, Abraham and Sarah had a son of their own named Isaac. When Isaac was weaned, Ishmael began to tease him, and Sarah got angry and told Abraham to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael. One example of God’s love in this story is that when Abraham gets upset because of what Sarah says, God tells him not to worry, and that He will make a great nation of Ishmael just like He will with Isaac. So, Abraham gives Hagar and Ishmael some water and bread and sends them out into the desert. Eventually, of course, Hagar’s water runs out, and she thinks she and Ishmael are going to die. She puts him in the shade and sits down across from him, because she doesn’t want to see her child die. But then, something happens—God sends an angel to talk to Hagar and a well appears! Hagar gives Ishmael water, and he drinks it and lives.

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One of the interesting and amazing things in this story is that Ishmael was destined to be the enemy of everyone, which we learn in Genesis 16:12, where it says “...his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” God could have stopped Ishmael from being against everyone if he had just let him and Hagar perish in the desert, but He showed His love to them and sent an angel.  

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This story is also a good example of the part of the verse where it says, “Forgive my iniquity, though it is great,” because God knew that Ishmael was going to have many iniquities. It is crazy to me that He decided to save him and his mother anyway, and that He promised Abraham that He would make Ishmael a great nation.  

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When you're feeling like you aren’t loved remember the story of Ishmael which has helped me remember how much God loves me.  Even when I am destined to be His “enemy” and turn away from Him because of my sin, He can still forgive me. When I do stumble, God is right there to pick me up again if I ask Him, just like Hagar did when she cried out to the Lord in the desert!

Dear Jesus, Thank you for this day. Thank you for everything that you have given me today and thank you for always being there to send me a well when I feel like I’m in the middle of the desert. Thank you that you are always loving and faithful. Please help me remember to ask you for support or forgiveness whenever I feel like I have no one, because you are always there. If you could hear Hagar in the desert, then I know you can hear me now. In your name, Amen.