Genesis 12:9

Genesis 12:9 says, And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.  Abram still had not settled permanently.  Though Abram was in the land of promise, there was a famine there as we see in verse ten, so he left temporarily.  Verse ten states, And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.  Abram did not use the famine as an excuse to return to his homeland, but went further still.  When people become followers of Christ, they can expect difficulties in life, but they must never use those difficulties as an excuse to return to where they were before accepting Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven says, And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:  Abram began to waver in his faith in God when he entered Egypt.  He evidently didn't believe that God would keep him safe.  Verse twelve adds, Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.  Abram feared that the Egyptians would kill him if they knew that Sarai was his wife so that they might have her.  Again, this shows very little faith in God's promise.  Verse thirteen concludes, Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.  Abram devised his own plan to save himself, but he was not too concerned about what this would do to Sarai.  Our own plans of salvation will never work, but we must always put our faith in God's plan.  Verse fourteen states, And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.  What Abram had feared would happen did.  Sometimes, the things that we fear may happen will, but this is the time that we must put our faith in God even more.  Verse fifteen says, The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.  Sarai was taken into the house of the Pharaoh because she was a good looking woman, I guess we could say.  Verse sixteen declares, And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.  The Pharaoh was in effect buying Sarai, whom Abram had called his sister, from Abram, and Abram was willing to go along with it.  Our plans may not only save us problems, but they may materially reward us, but if they are not based on faith in God and His promises, they will ultimately fail.  Verse seventeen says, And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.  Abram may have been willing to sell Sarai, but God still had His plan and promise in effect.  God brought a plague on Pharaoh's house because of Sarai.  Sarai was a part of God's plan to build a nation, and He would not let her go, even if Abram had.  As followers of Christ, we cannot use other people, especially other Christians, for our own benefit.  Verse eighteen asks, And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?  The pharaoh called Abram and asked why he had lied about Sarai being his wife.  It is bad when those who do not profess to know God can question the auctions of those who do, especially if it is based on something the the believer did that was wrong.  There was no way that Abram could justify his actions.  Verse nineteen adds, Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.  Even the pharaoh recognized that what he was about to do was wrong.  Verse twenty declares, And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.  Pharaoh sent Abram and Sarai and all that they had away.  I believe that Abram's lack of faith created a lot of problems, but God was still at work in his life.  Our lack of faith at times may create problems, but if we are truly followers of Christ, He will be at work to rescue us from our foolish plans.