Genesis 12:1 – 4 “Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him.”
WHOOEE!!! This little guy Abraham is just sitting there in a place called Haran. There is nothing to indicate that Haran was particularly different from any other city of the time; people were likely worshiping all kinds of gods. There were sun gods, moon gods, fertility gods, rain gods, etc. But somehow the One True Living God manages to get Abraham’s attention and orders Abraham to get up out of his comfort zone and move his family and everything he owns to an unknown location. What’s even more amazing is that Abraham obeys. v. 7 “Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring. So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.”
Sounds great, right? But wait! As the story continues in Genesis 12, famine hits the land and Abraham and his family go down to Egypt, where there is food. But because Abraham’s wife Sarai is very beautiful and because Abraham is a coward, he tells everyone that Sarai is his sister. Sarai winds up in the Pharaoh’s harem and Abraham winds up greatly enriched. (Sarai must have been gorgeous!) God has to intervene by sending plagues on Pharaoh’s household. Pharaoh rapidly realizes there is something wrong, learns the truth, and sends Abraham and Sarai away.
How does this story demonstrate God’s forgiving grace? Abraham’s actions were not appropriate for a servant of the Living God; yet, God protected Sarai, enriched Abraham, and delivered them all from Pharaoh without any harm coming to them. This story illustrates the fact that many times God is far kinder to us than we deserve. Just like Abraham, we finagle and manipulate and attempt to gain advantages, little realizing the danger into which we are putting ourselves. It is only because God is rich in mercy and forgives us that we do not suffer all of the consequences of our poor judgment.
APPLICATION: How many times have you become angry or annoyed at someone for making a really stupid decision? Did you forgive them, or are you still angry? If God can forgive you when you make mistakes, what right do you have to hang onto a grudge against someone else?
PRAYER: Father God, thank you for your love, your mercy, and your grace! Help us to forgive others as you have already forgiven us. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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