Genesis 20

Remember in chapter 12 when Abraham told a ruler that Sarah was his sister in order to stave off any hanky-panky? Well, now he does it again, this time with a fellow named Abimelek. This time, though, God directly communicates with Abimelek through a dream, telling him the truth.

Abimelek rightly chastises Abraham for fooling him and putting him in a dangerous position with God. Yes, Abraham is God's prophet, the progenitor of His chosen people. But in his fear and refusal to allow God to handle the situation, Abraham jeopardizes the life of the unwitting Abimelek. In verse 11, Abraham even says, "I thought to myself, 'There is surely no fear of God in this place.'"

In today's society, a similar statement would be, "Surely that person will never come to know Christ, so why bother trying?" I admit that I feel that way about some people I know. Now, I don't treat them like crap because of this, but the very fact that I don't even try to share the good news with them proves how much more I need to grow in my own relationship with Christ. I'm a shy person in general, so I really need to gird up my practically nonexistent loins to even hold a half-decent conversation with someone. I'm practically Porky Pig. And yet, why do I think it would be so much harder to share my faith when it's based on the one constant in this world? Of course, I don't want to cram the Bible or a "You're going to hell" message down people's throats unbidden--a surefire way as any to instill in someone an aversion to Christianity. But it is in my very weaknesses--talking one of them--that God is strong.

Unlike the Pharaoh of chapter 12, who just lets Abraham go, Abimelek showers Abraham with freebies and invites him to pitch his tent anywhere he wishes. He does end up fearing God, even if it was just momentary. I don't know if Abimelek became a full-on convert, but his magnanimity contrasts with Abraham's deception borne from insecurity. Followers of Christ--including me, in case you had any doubts--still screw up.

Lest we become too focused on Abraham's blemishes, we're reminded of his faithfulness in verse 17--after this messy fiasco, he prays to God. I've become more consistent with my Bible reading (duh), but prayer is still an area I don't devote as much time and effort to as I should. When I write fiction, nothing thrills me more than crafting rich, meaningful conversations between characters. Writing characters who banter and josh with each other fills me with zest. Prayer is, in essence, a conversation with God, the wittiest and most profound being of all--and the Creator of the universe to boot. Interacting with God thus should be an activity I perform with unfettered euphoria.