Today’s devotion comes from Genesis Chapter 20. Here is a link to that chapter.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+20&version=NASB
We will focus on the following verses 1 to 7.
“Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the land of the Negev, and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he sojourned in Gerar. Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is married.” Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, “Lord, will You slay a nation, even though blameless? Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also kept you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her. Now therefore, restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” Genesis 20:1-7.
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Abimelech king of Gerar did restore Sarah to Abraham and even gave them many gifts. Then, “Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, so that they bore children. For the Lord had closed fast all the wombs of the household of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.” Genesis 20:17-18.
These events are similar to what Abraham and Sarah experienced in Genesis 12:10-20. God protected them there as well.
We may wonder why Abraham and Sarah did not learn the lesson of God’s protection from this prior experience. We may wonder why they resorted to deception again.
And hopefully that wonderment will lead us to increased faith in God’s protection and to less desire in us to deceive or otherwise improperly act in taking things into our own hands.
God is faithful. God is faithful all the time.
“Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;” Deuteronomy 7:9.
“The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:4.
“O love the Lord, all you His godly ones! The Lord preserves the faithful And fully recompenses the proud doer.” Psalm 31:23.
“O Lord God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds You.” Psalm 89:8.
“He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.” Psalm 98:3.
“O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” Isaiah 25:1.
“God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9.
“1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
3 For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” Psalm 91:1-4.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 