Genesis 12
It is going to be really hard to not say Abraham, but he isn't yet...
I don't think I mentioned in yesterday's post that the end of Chapter 11 involved the lineage of Abram. So that was my starting point in chapter 12.
Very beginning of the chapter, God tells Abram to leave the home he has been in for years and years to go to a new land. I have to admit, that would be a hard thing to swallow. I like comfort. I like my comfort zone. Just to be told to "go" without much direction or a clear cut destination. That would be tough. Now maybe, just maybe, it would be different if God was audibly talking to me. He did that with Abram. He told him to go but also told him how he would be right there protecting him and blessing him. But then again, should I really have to hear God in that loud Godly voice? Ouch.
The other story that somewhat amuses me is the second part of Chapter 12. Here Abram and his wife Sarai are hanging out in Egypt. And Abram gets nervous that something will happen to them, so he asks his sweet wife to pretend to be his sister. Somehow that would bring favor on them. Except poor Pharaoh guy. Suddenly bad things start happening to him and his people. I always thought that was kind of odd since he wasn't the one who purposely was being deceptive, but then I am not God. I just have to trust He knew what He was doing. Anyway, Abram had to come clean and leave Egypt.
The part that strikes me as a bit funny is that here God talked to Abram. In an audible voice. He told Abram that He would protect him. And then a little while later, here is Abram, lying to the Pharaoh about his wife as he tries to protect himself.
I guess that just shows me that the struggle with faith and truly believing God will do what He says He will do has been around from the very beginning. It is not a new thing. I am not saying that it is any more right to struggle with that now. I am just saying that even the very people who could talk to God fought the battle of disbelief. It is apparently a human struggle. One I still deal with in my life daily.
How about you?
Reba
Tomorrow's reading: Genesis 13 and 14
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