When was the last time you were afraid of someone or something? How did you react?
One time when I came home from a friend’s house, my
door was cracked open. I immediately assumed someone had broken in and
was inside. I was terrified! Before going inside, I started calling
family members in hopes of talking to one of
them while I courageously ventured inside to check things out. No one
was available to answer their phone, though. I then stopped and
remembered that I could talk to God! He knew and could see everything
and could help me know what to do more than any relative
or friend! After kicking the door wide open, checking out the basement,
every closet, and every possible hiding spot, the coast was clear.
Apparently, I hadn’t shut the door completely that morning, and it had
blown open at some point.
Even godly Abraham reacted irrationally out of fear.
Genesis 20:1-6 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,
2 and there Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek king of Gerar sent for Sarah and took her.
3 But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to
him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she
is a married woman.”
4 Now Abimelek had not gone near her, so he said, “Lord, will you destroy an innocent nation?
5 Did he not say to me, ‘She is my
sister,’ and didn’t she also say, ‘He is my brother’? I have done this
with a clear conscience and clean hands.”
6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did
this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning
against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.
Back in Genesis 18:10-15, God
had specifically told Abraham and Sarah that Sarah would have a son by
that same time next year. So, why was Abraham afraid for his life
(Genesis 20:11)? Didn’t he trust God to fulfill His
promise? And why didn’t he talk to God about his fears? And how was he
to have a son through Sarah, if Sarah became Abimelek’s wife??? It’s
easy for us to see, since we aren’t in the fear of the moment.
Giving in to fear, Abraham
sinned further by lying, encouraging his wife to lie (whether verbally
or by example), putting her in danger, putting his own safety above
her’s, causing Abimelek to stumble, etc. I love how
God stepped in, though, and protected all of them against themselves!
God would accomplish His purpose.
How will you and I remember to
take our fears to the all-powerful and Sovereign God, so that we don’t
react irrationally and cause others to stumble?
Alice
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