Saturday, January 23: Genesis 12- Sin traits.

Abram bursts on the scenes. At the end of chapter 11 he is only a slight mention as a son of Terah, now he is the focus of the account.

What an intriguing man he is.

At the beckon call of God, he sets out from Haran to a land the Lord will show him. This takes an amazing amount of faith. During his travels God speaks to him about the land and Abram builds an altar twice, a sign of faith and remembrance.

Due to a famine he heads down to Egypt, immediately this man of faith devises a plan to save his own skin, calling Sarai his sister rather than wife (a half truth at best).

It never ceases to amaze me how people can be so faithful in one moment or in one area of life and so fearful, afraid and non-faithful, in the next moment or another area of life.

Mr. Faithful, patriarch of the Israelite faith, lies about his relationship with Sarai and sacrifices her dignity to save his skin!

Self preservation is a subtly dangerous motivation.

I started to wonder, if I could fall into the same trap as Abram? Do I lack faith when my ‘life’ (reputation, honor, etc.) is on the line? I know as a teen I would ‘bend’ the truth like Abram to keep from getting in trouble. Is that trait still resident in me…???

Lord, search me and see if there be any wickedness in me. Purge me with hyssop that I might be clean, wash me that I might be whiter than snow. Lord God, Father of Abram, I pray to You through Jesus, my Lord. Amen.