June 4, 2023
Reading: Genesis 20
Focus: Genesis 20:1-2 – Now Abraham moved on from there into the region of the Negev and lived between Kadesh and Shur. For a while he stayed in Gerar, and there Abraham said of his wife, Sarah, “She’s my sister.” Then Abimelek, king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
Father God, Thank You for Your love for us. Thank You for Your forgiveness when we sin. Even when we do it again and again. Open our eyes, hearts and minds today. Show us what You want us to learn. In Jesus name, Amen.
We leave Lot behind in the mountains near the Jordan plain. We won’t hear about him again. So, Abraham moved from the mountains overlooking the destroyed cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, staying for a time in different places. Then, he pitched his tents in Gerar, the land of the Philistines. Word got around about the beautiful woman in Abraham’s company and the king asked about her. Obviously, Abraham forgot what he learned in Egypt, and he lied again about Sarah’s relationship to himself. And Sarah was taken, again, into the harem of a king.
If you will, remember Sarah was getting up in age. She was in her early nineties. Apparently, she was still a very beautiful woman. So much so that Abimelek, king of Gerar wanted her. Abraham knew that the sister thing got him into trouble once before but he tried it again. Abraham was ‘sure’ there was no fear of God in Gerar and he just knew he had to save himself and Sarah. Again, he feared he would be killed and Sarah taken, if they knew she was his wife. Again, he lied. A little white lie, but a lie none the less. So, I ask again: What was he thinking? He KNEW that God had promised a son by Sarah. So, he should have also known that God would protect him and Sarah so that the promise would be fulfilled.
After taking Sarah into his harem, Abimelek, a pagan king, was visited by God in a dream. God called him a ‘dead man’ because of Sarah. The king, rightly so, stated that he had taken Sarah with a clear conscience. God replied that was why He hadn’t let him touch her and told him what to do next. God also told him to ask Abraham to pray for himself, his wives and female slaves. I can tell you, if I was a pagan, and God spoke to me in a dream, I would certainly pay attention.
Abimelek went to Abraham, I would imagine, very angrily, demanding why he would do this to him. Abraham told him the rest of the story. He hadn’t lied, he just didn’t tell the whole truth. A half-truth is still a lie. She was his half-sister. They shared a father but had different mothers. Abimelek was anxious to make things right with Abraham because of his God. So, he gave Abraham sheep and cattle, male and female slaves and gave him his wife back to pay him for the injury to his honor. He also gave Abraham a thousand shekels of silver to make amends for his offense to Sarah. Abraham prayed. You can be sure that he asked God’s forgiveness first, then he prayed for Abimelek and his household.
Abraham had sinned. Again. He fell back into the old habit of telling people that Sarah was his sister. He didn’t need to. God would have protected him. But Abraham was thinking with his human nature and not with the spiritual nature and relationship he had with God. How often do we do that? We put God in our human ‘box’ and don’t trust His supernatural power to take care of our problems. Writing these blogs are a blessing to me and, I hope, a blessing to those who read them. I KNOW that God called me to write. But there are times that I worry about it. I begin to doubt that calling. The fire begins to dim. But then on a Sunday morning, God rekindles that fire and reaffirms that calling. Sort of like He did with Abraham.
Did you know that worry is a sin? Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.” Pretty specific, don’t you think? The Bible tells us more than 300 time to not be afraid. That, to me, is also “Don’t worry!” To worry is to doubt God. Doubt that He will keep His promises. Doubt that God is sovereign. Worry leaves us open to Satan. He can get a foothold in that worry and lead us down the wrong path. Trusting God is not always easy. Abraham and Sarah show us that. Sometimes we have to just close our eyes and jump and KNOW that God is there to catch us.
Let me see if I can help you understand that kind of faith. Hebrews 11;11 states, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Have you ever just walked into a room and sat down in a chair? Did you ever think that the chair might not hold you? No. You just sat down, knowing that it would hold you. The same with your car. You get in turn the key, knowing it will start. Children have the most faith. Dad can toss them up into the air and they KNOW that he will catch them. Jesus said that we should be like little children to enter into the kingdom. That’s what Jesus meant. KNOW, without a doubt, that God is who He is, Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead and that the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Knowing that God is always with us in everything we face.
No question about it. Just do it. Believe. It makes life a whole lot less stressful. It’s a cancer. God’s got it. I’ve lost my job. God’s got it. I don’t know which way to turn. God’s got it. It takes practice. Keep turning all things over to God and leave them with Him. When you start to worry, tell Satan to butt out, God’s got you.
With a shaky faith and lots of worry, Satan will make it easy to slip back into old sinful habits. Sometimes we will act deliberately and sometimes we don’t even think about it. In spite of Abraham’s sin, God did not abandon him. God will not abandon you even when you don’t trust Him the way you should. When you fall, get up. Go back to the Father and talk to Him about it. If necessary, go to the one you sinned against and tell them. Ask for forgiveness and tell them why. Tell them about the God you serve and how He saves you and forgives when you slip off the path God is leading you down.
I think there have been many times when I have done the wrong thing. I don’t do it on purpose, I just do it. I can say hateful things or react hatefully. I don’t think about it, it just happens. God does not let me get away with it. I always have to go back to the Father and ask forgiveness. I have had to go back to the people I hurt and apologize. It’s a hard thing to do, but I feel better when I have. I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 7:15 – “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Our sinful nature will always be a part of us. So, remember Jesus’ blood covers our sins and they are never remembered by God after that.
What are you worrying about?
Father God, thank You for forgiving my sins. I am sorry I keep doing the things I shouldn’t. Give me peace, forbearance, grace and mercy as I deal with friends and family. Help me to shine Your light to others. Let them see You in me. In Jesus name. Amen.
Food for Thought
- Why do you think Abraham used the same story about Sarah when he knew the problems it caused in Egypt?
- What do you think Sarah thought when Abraham told the king she was his sister?
- Do you think that God can use non-Christians to get out attention?
- Have you done things you know you shouldn’t have done? How did that work for you?
- Do you think that non-Christians are watching the way you live for Christ?
