Here’s a great story from Genesis 12, about Abraham. God told Abram (later he’s renamed Abraham by
God, but that’s another story!) to leave the
5 Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his nephew, and all their
possessions which they had accumulated, and the persons which they had acquired
in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan; thus they came to the land
of Canaan.
6 Abram passed
through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land.
7 The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.
8 Then he proceeded
from there to the mountain on the east of
9 Abram journeyed on,
continuing toward the
Abram is going where God told him to go. He’s built this altar, worshipped, and called on the name of the Lord. Abram is right where God wants him. But even when you are going where God tells you to go, sometimes there will be a test. That’s exactly what is about to happen to Abram.
10 Now there was a
famine in the land; so Abram went down to
Isn’t Abraham right where God has led him? When the famine hit, why didn’t Abram simply call on the name of the Lord again? What he needs to do now is to have faith that God will supply everything he needs. If God has something for you to accomplish, He will absolutely supply everything necessary for you to accomplish it! But Abram doesn’t have enough faith. He looks at his situation instead of looking to the One who can solve it.
There’s one thing to remember as you study the Old
Testament. When the Bible talks about
someone “going down to
11 It came about when
he came near to
12 and when the
Egyptians see you, they will say, "This is his wife'; and they will kill
me, but they will let you live.
13 "Please say that
you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you, and that I may
live on account of you." (What a
great husband! He’s definitely looking
out for himself instead of taking care of his wife!)
14 It came about when
Abram came into
15 Pharaoh's
officials saw her and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into
Pharaoh's house.
16 Therefore he
treated Abram well for her sake; and gave him sheep and oxen and donkeys and
male and female servants and female donkeys and camels.
Now notice how the Lord takes care of Abraham, even with his lack of faith! Of course, He also takes care of Sarai:
17 But
the LORD struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
18 Then Pharaoh
called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not
tell me that she was your wife?
19 "Why did you
say, "She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is
your wife, take her and go."
20 Pharaoh commanded
his men concerning him; and they escorted him away, with his wife and all
that belonged to him.
God always functions with grace – which is giving us what we
don’t deserve. Is there a better example
than this? Abram sets out to
Genesis 13:2-4
2 Now Abram was very
rich in livestock, in silver and in gold. From
3 He went on his
journeys from the
4
to the place of the altar which he had made there formerly; and there Abram called
on the name of the LORD.
Basically, God gives Abraham a do-over, or a mulligan! He goes right back where he started, and calls on the name of the Lord.
Isn’t it great that the faithfulness of God does not depend on the faithfulness of us! God protects and prospers Abram, even when he is completely outside of His will.
No matter what mistakes you make, God will always be faithful to you. How comforting is that?!