From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife.” 4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” (Genesis 20)
What was Abraham thinking? He was afraid and ashamed. He felt as if being a sojourner, a visitor, made him vulnerable, and in some way dimished the power and promises of God because of his location. He set aside his protective role for his wife because he felt God was unable to protect him. This, after all the wars and travels and miracles he and God and Sarah had been through. Sounds like us. We are so prone to let some insecurity, some fear or obstacle shake our faith and make us shrink away from our responsibility as Christ's followers to never live in fear or shame, but always an increasing trust in His love, power and grace. May we today, with thankful hearts for His past blessings, trust Him with whatever may come our way today.
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