A Step Of Death

We have stood on the first and second steps with Abram, our father of faith. In our lives, we also have climbed, DOWN steps and DECEIT steps. These are steps Abram made in a place he knew not, as Egypt was not yet part of his experience. With each step, we also know that many would call them evil, sinful, wicked and certainly not of God. But keep looking at it; none of these became Abram’s downfall. How Faithful is our God!

From the DOWN step and DECEIT step, we move to the DEATH step, that which to me, is even more chilling. Do you really think that giving up one’s wife to another, is easy? This is a death for Abram. It is a death, not just to give your wife over, but to give your beauty, to another you do not even know, for a length of time. Will it be for one day, one week, one month, a year, or years? Is this not a death?

• To be away from your intimate companion, to be parted from the one who has been at your side, morning, noon and night, is a sure death.

• To be in the same place with this one whom you have given over and see her with another, is a chilling death.

• To be the initiator, in the first place, to make this down step, to give to another the one who is your companion, the one with whom you have become one, is an unthinkable death.

There is a time, when the one given to you must die to you. It is the step you have to make where you, and the one with you, must agree on this very hard move. You need to remember that Sarai had to agree with Abram, for this deceit to take place. You must give up that beauty with you to another. All through this devotion, which captured me fully and still has me captivated and asking many questions, I wanted to know about this death and how it pertained to me. When I asked our Lord, I was told of joy.

There is a joy that Jesus, our Companion, the One we hold dear to us, puts into our hearts. Regardless of what happens, that joy remains deep within. Whether we admit it, feel it, see it, acknowledge it or not, that joy is there, simply because Jesus placed it there.

I am quite aware that we all have to part with some intimate companion given to us by God, that which for a while, we have to die to, for the greater good, as it were. I asked and was told mine was my companion joy. Yours may be something else. It may be your peace, or contentment. You need to ask God and He will answer you also. Whatever your intimate companion is, the meaning and understanding remain the same. May the Holy Spirit of God free us to receive this truth and help us to step in His wisdom. Amen!

It is not that someone takes this joy from you, but it is what you actually give over in order to save the life that God has given to you. You do not give this over as your intimate companion, but as your relative. You die inside to do this, but you still do it anyway. Look at your father of faith. This down step was not his downfall, neither is it yours. This down step in Egypt, is most difficult thus far. Don’t you agree? This death can be most wounding and crippling even.

Bear with me, while I go back a bit. Hear with me, as I stress some very tender parts of this death. I don’t know what this does to you, but it surely reaches me. Listen again to what verse sixteen says about the one who has received Abram’s intimate companion. Note what the verse is also saying about your intimate companion, your joy, your peace, your contentment, your strength even. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels. Genesis 12: 16

Are you seeing this? Can you imagine how Abram must be dying daily inside, knowing that it is because of this death that he lives? The longer he is silent about Sarai as his wife, the more he is being blessed? The longer he is able to suffer this death, here in Egypt, the more he is able to acquire an abundance of good? Are you hearing me? The truth is that Abram is adding to his storehouse and reaping produce that he did not go down into Egypt with. The truth is that as long as Sarai is dead to him in Egypt, the more blessed he becomes.

Can you see how Pharaoh, the one who leads and rules the place where Abram resides at the moment, this king of Egypt, is treating Abram well and being most hospitable to him? This is all because of the accepted, death on the part of Abram and Sarai. O dear! This is some surrender of self, some dying to self, some giving up of self, to be able to hand over some good in your life, to a Pharaoh.

But is this not what Jesus did also? Did He not give up, to come to this godless world, a type of Egypt? Ponder that! May the Lord help us to see beyond our own understanding of death, and know that He is still present with us. Look at your father of faith. This downward step was not his downfall, neither is it yours.

Lord Jesus, we continue to ask for Your help in this step. This is a very hard step Lord, for we do not want to die to any good which You have given to us. It is not easy Lord, for we carry such false truths in our minds. We are hindered by our ways of judging You, interpreting You and seeing You. Forgive us Lord and free us to seek Your Spirit, in the midst of our Egypt. Jesus, You who have walked this path, give us perfect surrender to Thee please. Show us, please Jesus, that we are in You, so that we do not see this down as our downfall. Amen!