Gospel Reading Plan: Mark 1-2
Abraham and Abimelech
Read: Genesis 20
Today’s Scripture is a fascinating narrative that teaches us so much
about the heart of man and the ways of God.
We see here that Abraham was not a superhero; in fact, he had struggles
just like you and I and he even made the same mistake twice. In Genesis 12, Abraham heads down to Egypt
because of a famine and he is afraid that the Egyptians will kill him in order
to take his wife (because she is so beautiful) so he tells her to lie and say
that she is his sister. We see the same
sin in Genesis 20, this time they are in the region of Negev and Abraham once
again says that Sarah is his sister. As
a result, King Abimelech takes Sarah into his harem. But God is good and He comes to the King in a
dream telling him that he’s as good as dead.
The King claims his innocence in everything but there was still a curse
on the land because of what had happened (Gen. 20:18). God tells Abimelech to ask Abraham to pray
for him (vs. 7) and when Abraham does pray (vs. 17) the curse is lifted and God
heals Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children
again. Isn’t it interesting that the person
who was responsible for the entire mess in the first place (Abraham) was the person
who God called on to pray and reverse the entire mess? Abraham, the coward…Abraham the great
intercessor! Just because Abraham made a
mistake didn’t mean that he was counted out.
His prayers still healed the nation.
If he would have taken himself out of the game because of his mistake,
Abimelech and his family may not have been healed of the curse. We are all weak and in need of the power of
the Holy Spirit. Don’t let your past
failures and mistakes keep you from pressing forward in your walk with
God.
PRAYER AND MEDITATION
- In what ways are you like Abraham, making the same mistake more than once? Do you take yourself out of the “game” as a result?
- Ask the Lord to show you any lies that you have believed about yourself as a result of your past failures. Then, give Jesus permission to tell you the truth about yourself.
- Thank the Lord for His forgiveness and for second chances!
