Take Two: Genesis 12, Proverbs 3

Genesis 12 is a very important chapter in understanding God's plan for you and I. In Gen 12:1, God directs Abram (following his father's death) to leave Haran and continue on to Canaan. God would direct him to the land which He would give him. In Gen 12:2, God makes a covenant promise (one sided) that Abram would be great and be blessed. The purpose of God's blessing of Abram is found in the last phrase in the verse: "and so you shall be a blessing." Certainly God called out (elected/chose) Abram sovereignly in order to bless him. He also sovereignly chose/elected/called out Abram to BE A BLESSING. It is not that God capriciously wanted to bless "cuddly and cute" little Abram. Abram was being given a great privilege and responsibility to be the instrument of God's blessing the world.

Remember that the blessing that God gave Noah and his sons was universal. Now the means by which God would bless the world was being revealed (thorugh Abram).

Gen 12:3 reveals a promise that God would bless those who aided/blessed Abram, and curse those who impeded/blocked Abram. God would be the defender and protector and provider in all that Abram would encounter. Through Abram, the father of a great nation (Israel), all the families of the earth will be blessed.

In Gen 12:4, Abram arose and left Haran with all of his possessions, Sarai, Lot, and his servants. Destination: To be Determined. In Gen 12:6-7, God revealed to Abram that He would give him the land of Canaan (which was currently occupied by the Canaanites). Abram was migrating southward toward the Negev (Gen 12:9) which literally means "South." Due to a famine in the land, Abram continued South and West toward Egypt. In a self-revealing act, Abram convinced his wife to tell a half-lie about her identity (Gen 12:11-13). {It is a half-lie because she was his half-sister. Still he gets full credit for lying.}

As suspected, Sarai is taken into Pharoah's harem and Abram is given favor by Pharoah (Gen 12:16). God was not pleased though and did what He had promised to do anyway...to take care of Abram. So, God brought plagues on Pharoah's house because he was in possession of Sarai. Pharoah had Sarai returned and had both Abram and Sarai escorted out of the country.

In applying this I find some encouragement here as I do in lots of the OT. Abram had a great encounter with God who made a promise to him. Yet, when faced with the first real test of that promise, Abram begged his wife to lie about her identity to save his own skin. Abram received favor from Pharoah who took Sarai as his wife. I imagine that Abram had to think about this every evening. His wife was at Pharoah's harem while he was in the outskirts of town with his flocks. I imagine that God really drove home the point, "You should have just trusted me." In the end, God protected Sarai and Abram from Abram's lack of faith.

It is good to serve a God who knows our weaknesses and failures and loves us anyway.

Proverbs 3:11-12 is the takeaway today. God's correction is sometimes misunderstood. Sometimes we think it is not God who brings the discipline because we have a false idea of who He is...that He is a benevolent grandfather who gives us cake and cookies all the time. Sometimes we credit God with bringing the discipline, but we think it is because He hates us or is displeased with us. Every act of God is due to His love for us and toward us. God never acts harshly or out of malice. He is constant and consistent in His character. He is love.

Perhaps, the next time we experience discipline, we should just give thanks and seek to learn what the Father lovingly desires to show us...that we might grow in wisdom and understanding.

Grace,