“But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 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? 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.” And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.” (Genesis 12:17–20, ESV)
Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go. When our failures are exposed, embarrassment is often the least of the prices we have to pay! Abram’s lies to the King of Egypt about Sarai being his sister – which was a half-truth since she was his half-sister – came back to injure him in the long run in several ways. So do ours!
Abram was climbing the social ladder quickly because Pharaoh had opened the doors of power for him. People liked Abram because Pharaoh liked Abram. That swinging door came back to hit Abram when the King discovered his new bride was an old bride already!
When we choose to lie, God gets involved. Troubles multiply supernaturally when we claim to have Christ and yet act like the devil. Abram’s host felt the judgment of God for adultery as severe plagues fell upon the Egyptians and the King found Abram to be at fault.
As his story unraveled, Abram’s host turned against him and trashed his reputation quickly. As word spread throughout the inner circles of power, there was nowhere to go to receive help. Pharaoh’s displeasure was enough to end Abram’s connections … thus jeopardizing his newfound wealth bought at the price of the sanctity of his marriage bed. (Imagine how Sarai felt about all of this!)
Then the King went one step further. He kicked Abram and all he had out of Egypt, sending them back into the famine-ridden Promised Land. And, in reading ahead in this story, we discover God could and would protect him there, as He would have in the first place, had Abram simply trusted God enough in the first place.
Today, we can avert a whole pile of problems by simply trusting God, especially in the difficult times! God hasn’t forsaken you. He won’t leave you. If He has led you, He will make sure you’re fed!
Turn-Around Tuesdays are designed to bring hope and help, insight and encouragement to those of us who are simply overwhelmed by the flood of problems life throws at us. No one is immune to trials and troubles, but God has a way of lifting us from life’s torrents. Each short thought is written by Dr. Matthew Lee Smith, Executive Director of Eagles In Leadership, and comes from his life-journey with the God who never leaves us or forsakes us. He welcomes your comments below.
