A Step of Deceit

As we come to the second step, we step with Abram into what is even lower. From the DOWN step, we move to the step of DECEIT. Yes, you heard correctly, the deceitful step.

Abram knows all about the lack of morals in that place. He knows that he stands not a chance in Egypt, because of the ease with which he will be killed, and his wife taken from him. Abram tells Sarai his wife, that when they get to Egypt, she is to say that she is his sister. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you. Genesis 12: 13.

Listen to a little bit of the conversation I had with our Lord. Lord, this gets to me, for my eye is on the lie. Abram tells a lie, yet You do not scold him, or chastise him for his lack of faith and trust in You? All I see is a lie, and this hinders me greatly. Would you not have done the same? Master, I see only that this, our ‘father of faith’, told a lie to save his life. Lord, help us please. Is this as the deceit we see in Jacob?

Does this trouble you also? Maybe you will be helped as I was helped with this. We really cannot teach God a thing, or tell Him what He is to accept, allow, bypass or knowingly frown upon. None of us has the common-sense, to accuse God of anything or secretly think of Him as an unfair Judge. Now let’s carry on with this step of deceit.

Believe you me, there are times, when in our deceiving steps, we tell a lie to those whom we know will take our lives, because of the beauty with us. In other words, we are travelling with the beauty God has given to us, whether that beauty is our rejoicing, our praising, our companions, whomever or whatever. In these deceiving steps, we face one in authority who will take away the beauty God has given to journey with us. In full knowledge of what we are walking into, we organize a plan that will deceive the one who will take our lives. Lord, give understanding please. Amen!

Bear in mind, that the deceit is for the one who must take your companion from you. In this step, Abram, our father of faith, refuses to just lose his life to those who are willing to accept him into their place, then kill him to get his wife. Did you hear that? Abram is facing people who are very welcoming, understanding, kind and willing to take him and his household in their place of food, but they will surely kill him. However, there is more sterling truth for us to find and uncover. Though simple and obvious, we are blinded to it by the ways we judge our own rights and wrongs. This deceit step does not mean Abram’s death. In other words, if Sarai, the one with him as his wife, was not a beautiful woman, then would not all have been well? It was the beauty of his wife that was the one and only thing which would cause Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt to have Abram killed, so that he could get Sarai for himself. Abram has many women travelling with him, some younger and some older than Sarai, yet it was this one woman, this one beauty, this one love that was the grave problem, because she was his wife.

Was there some kind of rule or moral law in Egypt about taking a living man’s wife to be your wife? In this free-for-all, pagan, none God-fearing place, were there scruples and some kind of respect and reverence for marriage? May the Lord help us to see beyond our own understanding of deceit and know that He is still present.

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. O God, we have lied and deceived, in order to stay the hands of those who will destroy us to get the joy, peace, strength, boldness and whatever You have given to us, as our intimate companions. Jesus, You who have walked this path, give us perfect surrender to Thee please. Jesus, show us that we are in You, so that we do not see this down, as our downfall. Amen!