When Obedience Seems Ludicrous

And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing, [turn over your wife to me]?” Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’  Genesis 20:10-11

Sometimes it appears that I am completely hemmed in. I decide that the only way of escape is to make a choice I would never otherwise make.  I acknowledge that it is against my better judgement, perhaps even my conscience. Yet, my rationale overrules.  Self-protection drives me to cave in, engaging in something unwise.

Abraham was in a tough spot. He had traveled into heathen territory. He feared for the lives of his family. He assumed that the king would act in an unconscionable way, killing him, securing Sarah for himself and seizing all of Abraham’s wealth along with her. It’s not that Abraham failed to be realistic about people. Heathens had a track record for acting this way.  It’s that he assumed the worst about God. He believed God was not strong enough to keep His promises. As it turned out, Abimelech had a strong conscience and once he discovered that Sarah was Abraham’s wife, he trembled in fear over the sin he almost committed.

What Abraham also did, and I never saw this before, was throw temptation before Abimelech. He provided the perfect opportunity for infidelity.  My bad choices always affect others.

I have learned two things the hard way. 1.) When there is no righteous solution, I should not move. Wait on God until He makes a way where there appears to be none.   2.) When the righteous solution appears to have a bad outcome, I obey God anyway and trust Him to lead me into spacious places.

You are my hiding place.  You are my mountain mover.  You are the one who changes the hearts of those who have the power to harm me.  I vow to trust You and not myself.  Amen