Pearls from the Bible 64

We have seen the heroes of faith listed in the Book of Hebrews. Most of the heroes there had their own flaws. Here, the man known for his faith(Abraham) in God is making a mistake from which we can learn a lot. Many times, we can see God commanding His people not to be afraid but to be strong. (This surely is an essential trait needed for anyone to stand against sin.) An example is the word of God to Joshua after Moses' death. Here too, Abraham is afraid of the harm people could do to him. The fear made him tell a lie, which he might have considered a white lie. But, in order to protect his life (selfish motive), he risked his wife's life. He made her stand before the enemy and hid behind her in disguise (which is not necessary). This is why the Lord not only asks us not to be afraid but commands us not to be. This is the trait the Lord expects from any leader. In Joshua 1:9 God says, "This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

The nation was as bad as Abraham expected. When they saw a beautiful woman, they took her to their palace. We have nothing here to justify their culture. But, instead of hiding away from such culture, it would have been great if Abraham had stood against it boldly. There is no way to stop a sinful culture by bearing it. Nothing will change when it is not addressed. May God give us the wisdom to handle the cultural challenges we face in our day-to-day life. May we be bold and not afraid of anything when the enemy tries to instill fear in us to make us fall for it.

Dear God, help us to be fearless. Let us not disguise ourselves behind anyone and sin against you. Guard us, Lord. Keep us bold and courageous always. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.