Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Do you know anyone who has what some might call ‘wanderlust’? It means they grow tired quickly of where-ever they live and so they move on in search of new adventures in new places. In some parts of the world that simply is not possible, but in other parts of the world, large populations of people choose to live on boats, or in ‘mobile homes’ or ‘RV’s’ or short term rental apartments. All these provide ‘rootless’ living so they can keep moving from place to place whenever they desire. Sometimes vocations require constant moving from place to place, especially when caring for ‘open range’ animals needing pastureland.
These days we are traveling with Abram in Genesis 12 and verse 10 says says “Then Abram set out and continued his journey toward the Negev.” (Gen. 12:10) But wait a minute. Yesterday we celebrated that their long journey had concluded when God said to Abram, “To your offspring I will give this land.” (Gen. 12:7) Let’s remember Abram is in a new part of the world, where neither he nor anyone in his caravan has ever lived? They have no idea what’s over the horizon in any direction except back from where they’ve come. Since God had told Abram the region where he had arrived was their destination and would be his home, I suppose it’s only natural Abram is doing some exploring of the territory, especially if he has large herds of animals who will need grazing land and water. What Abram didn’t know was if he continued south, toward the Negev desert, it would only bring heartbreak into his own life and his family. Have you learned that sometimes ‘the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence’?
May I ask… as you scan the horizon from where you are today, and as you reflect on the road you’ve traveled to arrive where you are… what do you see? What have you learned, who have you become on the journey to WHO you are and WHERE you are today? What is most important to you at your current age and stage of life? Do you still have some objectives, some hopes and dreams that you hope to achieve and experience before the end of your life? Do you have some non-negotiables in your character, your decision making, your relationships? What has God been doing in your life to refine you, shape and develop you? Might there be danger over your horizon? How can you protect your heart, mind, reputation, relationships, even your integrity, from society changes or moral values changing all around you?
We don’t know exactly WHY Abram kept on traveling, after God had told him that he had arrived at the place to which God had called and led him. But very hard times came on that region and this time Abram was forced to move to survive. The record says: “Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while, because the famine was severe.” (Gen. 12:10) Down through history I find the relationship between Egypt and God’s people Israel to be fascinating. How about you? Here is the first time the Biblical record shows Egypt as being the place of safety or survival for fleeing Hebrews. Of course it happened again about 200 years later when Joseph, Abram’s great grandson was sold into slavery and his slave owners took him forcibly to Egypt. After 13 years, Pharaoh rescued Joseph out of slavery prison and made Joseph Prime Minster of Egypt responsible for famine management. You may remember Joseph’s large family, including his father Jacob, did exactly what Abram is doing here… they relocated to Egypt to survive the famine, with full intent of returning to their homes in Canaan after the famine years were ended.
I wonder if you can remember another famous time in Biblical history when a family sought safety in Egypt, this time not from famine but from a paranoid King of the Jews killing all young boys because he had heard a new king had been born in Bethlehem? Matthew gives us that account and of course I’m speaking about Joseph, Mary and infant Jesus, who fled to Egypt when King Herod’s soldiers came to slaughter the boys of Bethlehem. (Matt. 2) It’s so interesting to me how God’s people often saw Egypt as a place to seek help, and yet more often than not, it did not go well for them there, as Abram is about to experience.
Beauty then as now was often a ticket for a beautiful woman to popularity and being showered with kindness. The record shows us that while Abram was growing in his relationship with God, there were still some character and integrity issues needing to be refined in Abram before God could fully involve Abram in His great purposes. “As Abram was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, ‘I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you they will say, ‘This is his wife’. Then they will kill me but let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.” (Gen. 12:11-13)
I wonder what you think of Abram and what he did, why he did it, and what he requested of his wife? Some might say it wasn’t a complete lie, for in Gen. 20:12 he did it again and here Abram explained “…Sarai really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother, and she became my wife.” What do you conclude about a person when they manipulate the facts to benefit themselves and either omit something important or emphasize one aspect of a story over another to gain a particular result? What about you and me, my friends, how do we handle situations in which the entire, whole truth, would not be as beneficial as a partial truth? Is that an integrity issue?
As you read the record, sure enough things happened just as Abram had anticipated. The Egyptians did recognize Sarai’s beauty and reported to the Pharaoh a new beautiful woman was in town, and he invited her into his harem. Evidently she did as her husband had requested and Abram was blessed by the Pharaoh. The record says “He treated Abram well for Sarai’s sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants and camels.” (Gen. 12:16). I wonder if this has ever happened to you, and great bounty was poured out upon you, and yet it wasn’t entirely ethical?
Evidently Abram welcomed these good times. So different from the famine he would have been experiencing back in Canaan. And God watched. . .God always watches, and God waits for us to make things right. Abram didn’t, neither did Sarai, so God acted. “The LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? Why did you say ‘She is my sister’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” (Gen. 12:17-19) And Abram was driven out of Egypt! He didn’t go empty handed, for Pharaoh urged him to take everything he had accumulated in Egypt. Does that remind you of another time Hebrews fled Egypt taking the bounty of Egypt with them? (Exodus 12:35,36)
The record says “So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.” Now let me ask my friends, what do you suppose Abram and Sarai and Lot each were thinking about this experience, as they traveled back toward the Negev? It had been significant for each of them no doubt, maybe even traumatic for Sarai. But what about young Lot, the nephew? Have you ever thought about what he may have learned as he lived with his uncle Abram and watched all this happen? Can you imagine the late night conversations between them? ““So Uncle Abram, would you help me understand what you are thinking here? Why have you told Aunt Sarai to tell them she is your sister?” May I ask you friends, do you have younger eyes and ears watching and listening to your life…and learning from your example? What are they learning?
I’m so glad Genesis 13:3 tells us Abram kept on traveling! Listen to the record: “From the Negev Abram went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier, and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD.” Oh I’m so grateful to see that! Can you imagine the sense of ‘coming home’ Sarai, Lot and yes even Abram must have had as they came over the ridge and saw that special place again? So much had happened since they left here and headed to Egypt. Oh what a worship service they must have had. Do you suppose Abram even wept as he cried out to God asking for forgiveness for his deceitfulness which had put Sarai in such danger? Or was this a praise service of gratitude that God had brought them back ‘home’ and full to overflowing with wealth? Once again I wonder what Lot was seeing and hearing as he watched Uncle Abram in this moment.
Let’s pause right here and imagine ourselves in that place with them. Reflect on what you’ve learned about their sojourn in Egypt. Have you ever had a wandering experience and then returned to a place where you re-engaged with God again? Here’s a very powerful song that will grab your heart as you reflect on the power of coming back home… to God!
Today’s Scripture is Genesis 12:10-13:4.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Genesis 13
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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