So It Will Be...

“Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife, Sarai… ‘Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well.’ … so the LORD inflicted serious diseases… ‘Now then, here is your wife, take her and go!’” Genesis 12:10-20.

First of foremost I feel so badly for Abram because I can relate to fear in some areas of my own life. This was a man who had incredible faith when he was first called by God. God intersected his pagan life and commanded him ‘to leave his country, his people and his father’s household.’ Abram immediately obeyed God, packed up his family and left without even knowing where God was taking him. But then there was a period in his life {a severe famine} when he was doing without…hungry…empty…burdened for his family…and scared. Through his fear he became self-focused instead of God-focused and practically gave up his wife to Pharaoh, the very woman with whom God was going to fulfill His promise to Abraham. As God does so well, He intervened and ‘inflicted diseases on Pharaoh and his household’ at the point of Pharaoh kicking the mother of the promised son (Isaac) out!

Abram’s fear was derailing God’s eternal plan. It seems unfathomable that we are chosen by God to participate in such divine significance with such earthly flaws. Thankfully, God will set out to do what He purposes in spite of our fears. “The LORD Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.’” ‘For the LORD Almighty has purposed and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?’ Isaiah 14:24, 27

The answer is no one and no way! My Bible Study, On Mission With God, states ‘God intervened to salvage the situation, but can you imagine what the Egyptian ruler thought about this faithless behavior on Abraham’s part?’ p. 35.

What is our faith saying to others? Are we throwing a decoy out there in our faith to avoid some unpleasantness or are we standing up for God’s purposes no matter what fear is at the base of our hearts? I am so encouraged that God isn’t looking for perfect people with perfect faith – there has only been One. God is simply looking for ordinary people to do extraordinary things through an extraordinary God.

Surely as He has planned!