Abraham's Weakness - And Ours

Abraham's Weakness . . . and Ours

>>> Read Genesis 20>>>

 

. . . And it came about, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her [Sarah], "This is the kindness which you will show to me: everywhere we go, say of me, 'He is my brother.' "         Gen. 20:13

 

The thirteenth verse of Genesis 20 reveals Abraham's root weakness as he walks with God. What caused Abraham to make this arrangement with Sarah? We can see that it was fear – fear of the people inhabiting the land where Abraham pitched his tent. However, fear is not the root, it is only the branch. The root is Abraham's failure to trust God.

 

He and Sarah devised this scheme when they left their homeland. We would think by now, after all Abraham has learned from God, that this would no longer be an issue for him. Yet, if we feel this way about Abraham, or even about our own walk with Lord, we underestimate the fallen nature of mankind.

 

The theme of Abraham's life is walk by faith, not by sight, and it is the theme of your life and mine. Here, Abimelech's question (vs10) caused Abraham to acknowledge his weakness. He failed to cling to God who has been revealed to him as:

 

¨       The God of Glory (revealed to him in Ur)

¨       Jehovah,  One who reveals Himself for the purpose of acting on behalf of His people (revealed to him at Bethel)

¨       El Elyon, the Most High God, the owner of heaven and earth (revealed to him at Hebron)

¨       His Shield and Great Reward (revealed to him in a vision recorded in chapter 15)

¨       El Shaddai (revealed as The All Sufficient One who will put life into Sarah's dead womb)

 

Abraham, despite consistent revelation of God, reveals that he is still depending upon his own devices – he is still walking by sight. He looked around and was gripped by fear. Are you gripped by fear as you look around at the world today? We are living in uncertain times; evil forces, seen and unseen, dominate every aspect of the world. Looking around causes me to fear and I hear concern in the voices of others who stay current with world events as well. It is easy to lose focus on the unseen things of God.

 

Counting on the things of God – this has been the focus of Abraham's training in the school of faith. Every day he woke up to find indigenous people still living in the land – they were proof that the land did not yet belong to him.  Abraham had the promise of God, but those people had the land! This was a constant reminder that he was to count on God and His promise, and NOT on the everyday realities that he could see and touch. It wasn't any easier for him than it is for us!

 

Abraham's encounter with Abimelech revealed his failure to trust God. Yet, when Abraham was finally exposed (to himself and to the people of Gerar), God did something unexpected: He dignified Abraham in the eyes of Abimelech saying, "He is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live."

 

Abraham shamed himself in the eyes of King Abimelech, but God caused the king to be indebted to this erring saint. He called him a prophet and made Abimelech dependent upon Abraham's prayers. God may have a dispute with us, but it is a secret dispute between Him and us. When it comes to dealing with the enemy, Jehovah steps in to plead his servant's case. He will not fail to shield his feeble lamb from the wolves of the world. He not only protects those who are His, He lifts them up in the eyes of the world by linking their value with His own exalted worth.            Hamilton Smith

 

Abraham's story is our story. Who of us does not fall prey to our God-doubting sin nature within? We have His Word – we even have a history with Him – He has demonstrated His care for us repeatedly. Still, we fail to remember who He is and what He has said He would do for us. We look around and fear grips us, so we find clever ways to fortify ourselves against the things that threaten us.

 

Let us remember all that God is to us, but even more, what we are to Him.

Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm . . .     Psalm 105:15

. . .  For he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.            Zech. 2:8

 

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.       Heb. 4:15-16                                                                                        

LJ 12/09