Genesis 12:10-20 “Egyptian Escapade”

“Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.”
Genesis 12:10 (NKJV)

Abram was doing well in the land of Canaan. That wasn’t surprising because it was where God called him to be. But then a famine struck. Suddenly it was difficult for Abram to find enough pasture for his flocks and herds. However, the grass was greener in Egypt, so Abram, Sarai and Lot went down there with everything they owned. There is no record of Abram ever praying about this. It just seemed like a “no brainer”.

The child of God is not exempt from trials. Famine, sickness, hardship, criticism and opposition happen to us all. For the unbeliever there may be no rhyme or reason to such circumstances, but for the believer these are tests of our faith. We have an enduring promise from God:

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 (ESV)

Does that really mean “all things”? Admittedly, there are some things that seem so bad at the time that we cannot see how any good can come from them. This, by the way, doesn’t mean that God causes every bad thing to occur. We live in a fallen world where people operate according to their own sinful nature. Disease and death happen in this life. But God’s promise to the one who trusts in Christ is that He will work a greater purpose in your life than the affliction you are presently suffering. And He will even use the lessons learned through this trial for a greater purpose than you can know.

For Abram, the Egyptian escapade was a lapse of faith. This was immediately demonstrated in how he schemed to save his own skin. He told Sarai to say that she was his sister so that it would go well for him. The consequences of this deception were nearly disastrous for this couple whom God had chosen to be the ancestors of the Messiah.

Pastor and Bible commentator Warren Wiersbe often said, “Faith is living without scheming.” If we truly trust in the LORD, then we will seek Him in every trial. In fact, we will use trials to drive us closer to God’s heart. We don’t have to be anxious; we can resist discouragement and depression. If we have faith, then we know that God is in control and will use the situation for our good and His glory. We can rest in letting Him take care of us and others through the trial and continue to do good.

Abram lapsed in his faith, but God used his failure to teach him. God was using everything to make him a person of great faith. He will do the same for you!