Genesis 12
Genesis 12:1-20 (NLT)
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.
2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.
3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
5 He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan,
6 Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites.
7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
8 After that, Abram traveled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the LORD, and he worshiped the LORD.
9 Then Abram continued traveling south by stages toward the Negev.
10 At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner.
11 As he was approaching the border of Egypt, Abram said to his wife, Sarai, “Look, you are a very beautiful woman.
12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife. Let’s kill him; then we can have her!’
13 So please tell them you are my sister. Then they will spare my life and treat me well because of their interest in you.”
14 And sure enough, when Abram arrived in Egypt, everyone noticed Sarai’s beauty.
15 When the palace officials saw her, they sang her praises to Pharaoh, their king, and Sarai was taken into his palace.
16 Then Pharaoh gave Abram many gifts because of her—sheep, goats, cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.
17 But the LORD sent terrible plagues upon Pharaoh and his household because of Sarai, Abram’s wife.
18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram and accused him sharply. “What have you done to me?” he demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ and allow me to take her as my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and get out of here!”
20 Pharaoh ordered some of his men to escort them, and he sent Abram out of the country, along with his wife and all his possessions.
Abram was of extreme wealth and influence, yet somehow there was an honor, humility, and fear of God that enabled him to unquestioningly obey. No matter the risk to his possessions and even his beauty-queen wife, he readily left the comforts and security of a well-established home to go into the desert.
It was in this blind belief and obedience, though, that favor and protection were gained in the presence of the Alimighty God that he had developed this way-beyond-just-religious relationship. It allowed him to get by with hair-brained behavior like posing as brother to his wife for fear of Pharoah. Not only did he get by, though. God actually supported and protected him in this stunt.
How easy it is with far less to develop security in what we think we know and have, along with a reticence to risk what we think is ours. If we could only see the potential of provision and protection that lies just on the other side of simply fearing and obeying the One from whom everything comes. It is in Him alone that our hope and help are anchored even through times of personal lapse. He helps and uplifts the one whose heart is quick to respond with action.