“For a while, he stayed in Gerar, and Abraham said to his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” Then Abimelek, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.” Genesis 20:2
During a heated argument with a leader in my church, we said things to each other we would later regret. One of the things that came out of that was some revelations about gossip that had been spread about me to other people in the church. Once I became aware, I investigated who was behind the gossip. But I quickly realized that the leader had something to do with it. He had over-shared information with some church members he thought he could trust, who then spread it around the church. Although forgiveness was challenging, I got through it with God's grace.
But I noticed something. Earlier in our relationship, submitting to him when he asked me to do something was easy. We were working together in ministry, and I believed that what he heard was from the Lord. So, I submitted because I knew that's what Scripture commanded me to do. However, after this betrayal, it made it more difficult for me to believe him. Instead of complying with his future requests, they were met with scoffs.
Because this leader had not honored me enough to keep my private information private, it was difficult to follow him and his leadership. My once submissive attitude quickly became rebellious. I questioned all his motives and everything after that. Even though his intentions were innocent, and he didn't believe sharing the information would spread all over the church, the feelings it brought up hurt me more deeply than any other betrayal could have.
In the above verse, we see Sarah's loyalty and willingness to submit to her husband, Abraham. Although his request seems innocent, it is heavy with sin and deception. Abraham had, in a way, sold Sarah out. Because it was custom for enemies to kill the husband and take a wife if they saw fit, Abraham assumed this was what would happen to him.
He then asked Sarah to lie and say she was his sister so they would spare his life. But they didn't consider Sarah's feelings in becoming someone else's wife. Furthermore, he didn't trust God enough to believe that if he had told the truth, they would have spared his life and God would have protected them both. This happened not once, but twice.
Although it is not recorded in Scripture, one can only imagine the betrayal Sarah must have felt. Abraham cared more about his own life than he did Sarah's. He didn't protect and keep her safe by claiming ownership of her. Instead, he degraded her to merely a sibling so she could be taken and done with whatever they chose, all in the name of sparing Abraham's life.
Although Sarah is remembered more for laughing at God when he tells her she will have a baby in old age, we wonder why her response was so flippant. A woman who submitted herself to her husband earlier must have believed in a holy God. She must have thought her husband knew what he was doing if she would readily submit to him. However, Sarah laughs when God says they will have a child.
Sarah must have felt so betrayed by Abraham that it was difficult for her to take anything he said seriously after that. She must have questioned his motives, wondering if he was saying that to her because God had told him that or out of his own selfish motivation. Abraham's deception and her being allowed to become a part of that deception robbed her of an opportunity to follow God wholeheartedly. Instead, his poor leadership left Sarah scoffing at God because she couldn't see God completing that miracle given her current circumstances.
Have you ever felt so betrayed by God that hearing what else he had to say became difficult? For example, have you experienced a tragic loss, health crisis, or financial hardship so severe that you waited for God to turn it around, only to find that it left you feeling immensely broken? It becomes difficult to hear God when we feel betrayed by him.
Yet, God can always be trusted. When he speaks his word, it will come to pass. We do not need to fear that God won't fulfill his promises. Just as he promised, Sarah did give birth to a son in her old age. He will fulfill the promises he has made to you as well.
Let's pray:
Father, help us trust your promises. Please do not allow us to meet your voice in our lives with scoffs but with belief. Help us believe and trust in your promises. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Khwanchai Phanthong's via Canva Pro
Related Resource: Anxiety: Practical Steps for Healing in Christ
Anxiety is debilitating and can leave us feeling overwhelmed, alone, and defeated. But what if there were practical steps and biblical truths that could lessen the load and aid us in our freedom journeys with mental health struggles? Pastor and Licensed Professional Counselor Susan Thomas joins me to discuss this today! Like what you hear? Subscribe to Bought + Beloved with Kirby Kelly on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
Originally published Thursday, 20 February 2025.
SHARE
