Genesis 20:11-18: a reflection

11Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife’s sake.’ 12Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. 13When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, “He is my brother.”’” 14Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah, his wife, to him. 15Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you. Dwell where it pleases you.” 16To Sarah he said, “Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you a covering of the eyes to all that are with you. In front of all you are vindicated.” 17Abraham prayed to God. So God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children. 18For the LORD had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

Abraham, the father of the faithful, is caught in a deception. Afraid that the people of a foreign land might kill him to take his wife Sarah, he had told them she was only his sister, a half-truth meant to protect himself. When the truth comes out, Abraham explains his reasoning: I thought, surely there is no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me for my wife's sake. His fear had driven him to a self-protective deception rather than trust in God.

Notice what drove Abraham's failure here: fear. He was afraid, and his fear led him to scheme and deceive to protect himself, rather than to trust the God who had called and led him. Even Abraham, the man of great faith, faltered when fear took hold; assuming the worst, he took matters into his own hands with a deception instead of trusting God to protect him. Fear made him lean on his own scheming rather than on God.

That is a temptation we all face. When we are afraid, fear tempts us to protect ourselves by our own devices, to scheme, to shade the truth, to take control, rather than to trust God with the situation. Like Abraham, we assume the worst and reach for self-protection, even deception, instead of resting in God's care. Yet notice that God's grace protected Sarah despite Abraham's failure; God did not abandon him to the consequences of his fearful scheming. When fear tempts you to protect yourself by deception or scheming, remember Abraham, and choose instead to trust God. Do not let fear drive you to self-protective deception; trust the God who cares for you and is able to protect you, rather than leaning on your own schemes. And take heart that God's grace can cover even our fearful failures, as it covered Abraham's.

Lord, Abraham, the father of the faithful, was caught in a fear-driven deception, telling a half-truth to protect himself because he was afraid; even he faltered when fear took hold, leaning on his own scheming rather than trusting you. I face that same temptation. When I am afraid, fear tempts me to protect myself by my own devices, to scheme, to shade the truth, to take control, rather than to trust you with the situation. Like Abraham, I assume the worst and reach for self-protection, even deception, instead of resting in your care. Yet thank you that your grace protected Sarah despite Abraham's failure; you did not abandon him to the consequences of his fearful scheming. When fear tempts me to protect myself by deception or scheming, help me remember Abraham, and choose instead to trust you. Keep me from letting fear drive me to self-protective deception; help me trust you, who care for me and are able to protect me. And thank you that your grace can cover even my fearful failures.