10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.
How often do we tell lies in order to protect ourselves from punishment? I am certain that many of us find occassions to throw someone else under the preverbial bus, in order to protect ourselves from guilt. We often think very little of the various lies that we tell people. We do not think they will hurt anyone, but then the truth reveals how many have been hurt.
Abram tells a little lie, so that he will not be murdered. This lie leads to Pharaoh taking Sarai as one of his own wives. Pharaoh gets punished by God for Abram and Sarai's lie. Pharaoh did not know, but again ignorance of the Law is no excuse. Pharaoh upon knowing the truth, confronts Abram for his lie. He asks the question "why?" but gets no response in the text. Abram gets away free, and gaining great wealth at the hand of Pharaoh.
We are a lot like our father Abraham. We do wicked things to protect ourselves. We look out for our own self interest above others. We tell little lies that cause great problems for others. And yet God still forgives us. He still loves us and cares for us. Do not forget that he does call out our crimes, but he offers to pay the price on our behalf.
We sin so very much in our daily life. We do not deserve to have any of things we possess. But God gives you still yet a greater gift to possess. He gives you life eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment