Protecting Us From Ourselves
I'm just amazed at the grace of God, that he would protect us as he does even when we are unaware.
I love this story in Genesis 20. Abraham is once again "hiding his wife" by calling her his sister. The king Abimelech is taking her as his wife. (She must have been some looker, this happened more than once.) When the king finds out what has happened he fears the Lord and fears for his life and the life of his people. But notice the response from the Lord...
Genesis 20:4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
God honored the king for his motive. He was doing the wrong thing, but he was unaware and in grace God prevented the King from sin.
Lord, thank you for looking out for us, even when we don't know it.
Comments