Say You're My Sister

Meditation
Genesis 12:10-13—There was a famine in the land, so Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine in the land was severe. When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “Look, I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’  They will kill me but let you live.  Please say you’re my sister so it will go well for me because of you, and my life will be spared on your account.”
 
The story of Abraham would make a great movie.  Knowing how attractive his wife was and what the Egyptians were like, he was correct in being concerned.  Pharaoh’s 

officials praised her beauty to him and she was taken into his household to be one of his wives.  Abraham was accordingly rewarded as the so-called brother with a lot of livestock. However, Pharaoh and his household were struck by God with severe plagues. A very unhappy leader brought Abraham into his presence and asked, “Why did you say, ‘She’s my sister,’ so that I took her as my wife? Now, here is your wife. Take her and go!” (vs. 18,19)

Abraham’s deception should never have happened.  Earlier in Genesis 12:2, God promised him, “I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” Evidently, this famous patriarch felt God’s promise needed some assistance if it were to come true.  And therein is a lesson.  We don’t make our name great by setting aside what is right to be safe.  The very fact that God gave Abraham a promise guaranteed that he would have protected him.

Too often we think that God does not understand our situation and so we take measures to ensure we will be okay.  By doing so, we reveal a deficient faith.  If righteousness is compromised by dishonesty count on the second and third order effects to be unpleasant.  “Say you’re my sister,” when she is not is as good as saying, “God I’m going to lie to help myself out.”  Really?  Does God need us to be unrighteous to fulfill His plan for us?  Perhaps Abraham’s problem began when he left Canaan—land God already promised to give him (vs. 7) to go to Egypt.  God could have preserved him through the famine.  By taking matters into his own hands, he was expelled from Egypt with a tarnished reputation and he set a poor example for his nephew, Lot.  Ai yi yi!  

Are you frustrated with your life?  Do you feel like you are somehow missing God’s blessing?  Resist the temptation to alter your circumstances through your own strength or reasoning.  Don’t embrace trickery. Trust God!  He will provide.  He will protect.  You may have to suffer the famine.  He may create a journey you would not choose.  But that is okay so long as you remain faithful with your eyes on Him. He will use you for His own glory and the results will be song-worthy. 
 
Inspiration
It is because we have such shallow views of God’s love—that we have such defective views of God’s dealings. We blindly interpret the symbols of His providence—because we so imperfectly read the engravings of His heart. When we can’t trace His hand—we must trust His heart!—Octavius Winslow
 
 
©2017 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)