What can anyone say about this?

Faith, Fear, and the Unstoppable Blessing of the Lord

(Genesis 12:10-20, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, October 5, 2014)

[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.”

Abram and Sarai were recipients of a great promise that would eventually lead to the coming of the Messiah and more. Having that promise did not mean that their troubles were immediately gone. They suffered famine and great danger from the powers around them. They navigated those dangers as people of faith and fear. Their story, though it contains elements that show their culture to be so different from what we have, rings true because of the honest struggles that they faced. But what kind of man was Abram to use his wife for his own protection?

[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.

Abram's fears concerning the Egyptians were well-founded. Sarai was considered beautiful, and she was taken into Pharaoh's house. But could Abram have anticipated how much the Lord would use this frightening providence to bring more wealth to Abram? This all seems unfair, yet the Lord says nothing in the account against Abram—only showering him with many blessings.

[17] But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. [18] 

Not everyone was blessed through this strange providence. The Egyptians felt God's plagues.

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.

God worked it all out. Abram and Sarai were safely together again. Oh, and they were richer.

Put the Word to Work: The Lord's providences in our lives are in accord with His own purposes. Trust Him. He does all things well. One day we will see all that He has accomplished through the sufferings of Jesus and His people and we will be very impressed! Meanwhile the troubles in our lives are very real. The waters of this strange world may threaten to engulf us. Even at our best we respond with some mixture of fear and faith that does not look all that impressive. But we love a man who knows how to walk on water. He will win the battle.

Memory Verse from the Songs of Ascents—Psalm 123:2 – Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.

Gospel Reading—Matthew 14:22-33 – Jesus walks on the water