Gen 12:11 “And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

Gen 12:12 “ and it will come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they will say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

Gen 12:13 “Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with me for thy sake, and that my soul may live because of thee.”

Continuing the journey with Abram we come to this point. Abram was a man of faith, a man who followed God, so why this? Why did he suddenly stop trusting God? Maybe, it is as Albert Barnes thinks. Abram had been walking with God from Ur to Haran, and from Haran onwards, but now he and Sarai were continuing onwards in the perceived path. They are moving without God’s advice. They may have been trying to fulfil God’s plan, without seeking God and on their own.

Abram, would be afraid. Abram was only a man, only someone who today might be any dapper old man on a street corner. Abram would be the man who moved in next door yesterday. Abram is worried about his reception in Egypt. The Egyptians spoke a different language, had a different culture, and were ruled arbitrarily by one man. So to protect his own neck (and here Abram is conceited because Abam knows now that God has a use for him, he must stay alive at all costs) Abram risks his wife’s chastity and his own honor.

Why are we told this story of Abram’s doubt? Of his conceitedness? Abram was just another person whom God used. There was nothing special about Abram. God chose him for a purpose just like God has chosen each one of us for a purpose.

Abram was worried about his life when he entered Egypt, and so he did what he thought would save it. He resorted to deception. He forgot to approach the throne of God, just like we all do at times. How do we act when we forget to approach the throne of God about anything? We become confused. We second guess ourselves, we no longer feel assured about our direction. We can become worried and stressed out. We might even make decisions that we think are the best ways, but God is not involved in the decision process.

Whenever there is a decision to be made, no matter how large or small, we should advance to the feet of our Father who is in Heaven, Earth, and in the most extreme niches of the universe. We should ask him for advice before we do anything.

Lord, I come before you today a humbled man. My decisions and ability to make them are nothing. What I decide without you never seems to be quite what I really wanted it to be. I ask that you remind me every day to handover my burdens of choice and decisions to you.