Genesis 20:1-7
….. Read Genesis 20:1-7
Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” And King Abimelech of Gerar sent and took Sarah. v.2
Can you believe it? There he is again, flat down on his face – in his walk, living faithlessly. Hello!?! Abraham!!!! Wake up!!!! How could he make the same monumental mistake, again? What in the world could he have been thinking?? ….
…. In our daily walk – I suppose, we do expect that we will improve, in the very least to grow to make smarter and wiser decisions. Isn’t that what is supposed to happen in a ”daily walk with God”, after all?
…. Stay with me here for a second
– Consider that – while betterment-of -self and a better knowledge of how to live in God’s truth is most certainly an expected result from a daily walk with God – I suppose, it is rather possible and maybe even likely – that we can be tempted to put too much emphasis on ourselves, and our own achievements and abilities – concerning spiritual things, much like we tend to do concerning physical things …. does that make sense? Of course, when we put too much emphasis on self – we tend to take matters into our own hands – and make decisions motivated, too often - from a position of self-confidence, rather than by faith. We do have a record of being rather, “self-achievement oriented,” don’t we?
I mean, from reading through God’s Word and walking along (as it were) with Abraham’s daily walk - and the rest - I am finding myself aware – that while my “personal” - “daily walk with God” - is important to my spiritual growth as a believer – it seems, that I may at times overlook how important it is for me, not to loose sight of my need for God and for a total dependance on Him – - - perhaps I may fall into a bit of a “hidden-trap” - placing too much importance, in my daily walk, on obtaining some “righteous position” – that might bring me to a point where I begin to feel that I no longer have to be as dependent on God….does that make sense??
Don’t loose me here
I suppose, walking along with Abraham – and seeing him making the “same mistakes” over and over again …. well … I think that makes me a bit uncomfortable with my own “recurring” and often “repetitive” mistakes. My first reaction might be to be critical of Abraham and “call out” the obvious errors he continues to be making. While, what I might actually be doing – by posturing myself in such a way – is avoiding the guilt of my own mistakes. After all, my pursuit of a daily walk with God is supposed to be making me better and smarter and wiser, isn’t it??
I suppose, when I am truly honest with myself - I too, make more than my share of mistakes – over and over and over again. I know that I do! Some of which, I have even made promises to myself, to others and to my Father God – that I would never do again! I don’t much like to admit that. Makes me feel like others will look at me and my mistakes, some of which are too often, repetitive – and will think that I am not growing in my spiritual walk! I am much more comfortable when I think that others see me as: “self-accomplished, mature and independent, or possibly even as a “spiritual-rock”, of sorts … upon which others might even, lean.”
Hmmmm…..?????
Well, I suppose – not so much unlike our Father of Faith – Abraham – we too, when we are honest, find ourselves – again and again - flat down on our face, faithless. Abraham here, not only sins, but he repeats the same sins – over and again, because he had used Sarah this way before. Interestingly enough - it is the character in the story who has no religion at all, Abimelech, who seems to be the one who is seen having some ”integrity” – rather than the one we might have been expecting to have seen as “self-accomplished, mature and independent, or possibly even as a “spiritual-rock”, of one sort or another … upon which others might even, lean” – a “Father of Faith”, as it were.
I suppose the lesson is that, this daily walk of Faith – isn’t really about me, at all! It wasn’t about Abraham, either. The daily walk of Faith is all about God - talk about a “Spiritual Rock”.
And as far as what other people may see or say about me, as I walk along - my primary concern must not be how others see me - but do they see the Faithful God of my imperfect faith? Do they see how my Faithful God does so much for me and my imperfect walk of Faith!
Faithful Father, I return to you daily, and fall down on my face, putting my imperfect faith in the hands of your perfect mercy. I know, Father, that I don’t learn very fast - I repeat – time and again – old sins. My pride and my fears – too often get in the way of your promises. Forgive me? I am dependent on You to walk with me in the way of faith, again and again – by your grace. Amen.
March 08 2010 | Fathering Moments - The Daily Walk | No Comments »