Epic Fails : Abraham
Lying. Murder. Sexual Immorality. Disobedience. These are but a few of the sins committed by the Bible's prominent pillars. They were people who made epic failures in their moments of weakness, yet they are also people God redeemed and used in powerful ways to build His Kingdom.
That's what this new series is all about: exploring mighty men and women of God who had epic failures along the way. My prayer is that it's an encouragement to you and me in our own faith journey; to know that no matter what we've done in the past, God still has a purpose for us. The stories of these prominent figures are captivating and full of great lessons we can take as a cautious warning.
Today, we start with the father of Israel, Abraham. A man credited with incredible faith and revered for his place in our heritage. Even so, he was still a man and one who made a few mistakes.
The Backstory on Abram
What's interesting is that Abram (as he was originally named) didn’t grow up in a godly home or have a great spiritual influence. He didn’t start with the makings of being the great patriarch of Israel. In fact, Abram came from a godless home in a wicked nation. Not much to start with, which makes him a perfect candidate for many of us to relate to.
We first learn about this great figure in Genesis 12 as God calls Abram to the faith. He is living in Haran with his family when God reveals Himself to the man and commands him to go to a new land. God is calling Abram to sever his ties—the comfort that he had clung to for so long—and take a faith journey into the unknown. Yet five times, God says "I will” in the first three verses of the chapter., indicating that Abram would not travel alone.
Over the many years, Abram followed God's instructions, usually never knowing what the next step would be. And in that, his faith grew leaps and bounds through the various trials. However, there were a few bumps along the way.
Sister Wife
Not long after Abram stepped out to follow God, a famine hit the land he was in, and so he decided to take his family to Egypt, where food was plentiful. The Bible is clear when God spoke to Abram, but this is not one of those moments. We never see God tell Abram to go, so it's believed that Abram made that decision on his own. Out of fear and uncertainty, Abram decided to move his family to a wicked nation. This was the first step down a dangerous path, showing us that when we decide to make decisions based off of what we think is best instead of what God says is best, we wander into risky territory.
Unfortunately, Abram’s poor decision didn't stop there. You see, he was married to the very beautiful Sarai, and he was afraid he would be killed by men in Egypt who wanted his wife. So he hatched a plan to go into Egypt as brother and sister instead of husband and wife. Abram was afraid of men, so he took matters into his own hands and decided to live a [partial] lie.
It worked for him, in a way. Abram wasn't killed, but men did find Sarai attractive, and she was taken into Pharaoh's harem.
God judges the situation and creates an opportunity for Abram and Sarai to leave untouched. Because we serve a great God who is kind and gracious, thankfully. But poor Abram—sometimes you have to wonder about him. Sadly, he didn’t learn from his mistake because in Genesis 20, he does the exact same thing in another country.
In between these two circumstances, God promised Abram that he would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15) at a time when Abram and Sarai had no children. Eventually, Sarai convinced Abram to take matters into their own hands, and Abram slept with another woman to conceive a child. Another failure of Abraham’s—he chose to appease his wife rather than trust God’s promise for an heir. In the end, it caused great pain within the family.
Taking Control of Your Own Life
Abram showed a slight pattern of taking matters into his own hands when things got tough. Perhaps this is why God rarely showed Abram the next step—to teach him faith. And perhaps it's why Abram is now known as Abraham, full of faith. The man who was willing to lay his son on the altar because he believed in God's promise to provide heirs as numerous as the stars!
Most of the time, we can't see the next step, and we don't know what God is doing. Perhaps you've taken matters into your own hands before, and it didn't work out. I know I've been there. Thankfully, we get to have this beautiful relationship with a kind and gracious God who redeems our past for a flourishing future.
If you've tried your own way in the past and it didn't work, know that God can right the wrong turn. Perhaps you've told a few lies that have buried you under tension and fear. God can unload all that for you. Let Him be the director of your steps moving forward, and watch your faith grow as you trust in Him!
