Truth and Consequences

    I’ve been researching the life of Abraham for a new series that we are doing at church.  Somewhere in the process of reading his story, I got hit with a major case of déjà vu.  Chapter twelve and chapter twenty of Genesis contain basically an identical account.  Let me paraphrase the essentials for you:

1. Abraham and Sarah go on a trip
2. Abraham worries someone will kill him to get his hottie of a wife
3. He makes her tell everyone she is his sister
4. The king wants a piece of that action and takes Sarah to be his wife
5. God threatens to kill the king for wife swipin’
6. The king gives her back to Abraham with a bunch of gifts as good measure.

 Let me remind you that this happens not once, but twice.  Abraham is busted for telling half truths (technically, Sarah was his half sister…gross) and showing his trust in God’s protection by…hiding behind his wife’s skirts?  Doesn’t seem like a man of faith and power for the hour if you ask me.  And check out how he comes out of it.  Both kings give him all kinds of riches cause they’re afraid God will make them take a dirt nap if they don’t make things more than alright.  Is it just me or are we getting some mixed messages from this story?

     After some consideration, I think there are a couple of things to learn from this.  The first is, even the best of us screw up…more than once…with the same issues.  It was true for Abraham, it’s true for me, and, I guarantee, you are sailing in that same ship with us.  But God does not abandon us in the repeated mistake.  He uses it to make our lives better.  Romans 8:28 promises that God uses all things for the good of those who love Him.  That includes our mistakes.  Abraham is a great example of this truth in action.

    That doesn’t mean he didn’t suffer any consequences for his actions.  I’m sure after that first night of wondering if his wife was in another man’s bed because of him, Abraham vowed never to let that happen again.  That has to be the worst feeling in the world.  He would never let that happen for a second tiiiii…awww, crap, he done it again!  Scripture tells us that the kings never actually slept with Sarah.  Abraham couldn’t know that and he definitely suffered the emotional pain and stress of his actions.

      So what can we learn for this story?  Pretty simple.  If we belong to God, He will pull our butts out of the fire, but that doesn’t mean we won’t feel the burn.  God works all things out for good, but we suffer the consequences of sin.  That’s something to consider.

Comments

[Michele]

Such a way with words.............