Old Sins with Deep Roots

Read Genesis 20

For those of you who have been following along as we read the book of Genesis you’ll notice we once again find ourselves at a familiar impasse in the life of Abraham. In another not so brilliant moment Abraham lied to Pharaoh and led him to believe his wife Sarah was his sister and caused quite the scene when it came out otherwise. And here we are again with Abraham in another foreign country, with another king, the same lie, the same lame excuse. So why does he do it? Didn’t he learn the first time? Didn’t God just promise him not so long ago (less than a year) that Sarah would in a year have a son? I think sometimes in our own self-righteousness we assume that great people of the faith don’t continually struggle with sin just like we do. What are the sins that you struggle with repeatedly? Worry? Pride? Lust? Fear?

Of course, we should know sins we struggle with affect our relationship with God, but often times we don’t consider the effects that they have on our relationships with others, directly or indirectly. In this case we see that an innocent man, Abimelech, and his whole household were almost destroyed by Abraham’s lie, not to mention his wife, whose integrity was compromised by his faithlessness, and also the will of God in the birth of Isaac. Granted, our sins may not have immediate consequences of this magnitude, but we may need look no further than our family and closest friends to see how our relationships suffer from our bad choices. I think it’s redeeming how God shows his mercy to Abimelech and his household in spite of Abrahams sin:
“Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against me. That is why I did not let you touch her.” (Genesis 20:6)

God is still the same way today. He allows people a way out of the cycle of sin when they are inadvertently affected by the sins of others. They still have the responsibility of choosing the right way, but God is merciful. I think that this is particularly important in cycles of generational sin, and by that I mean sin that is passed from parents to children by poor leadership and example.

Reflect on how your struggle with sin has affected other people, and also how you have been affected by others’ sin. Pray that God would grant you the strength to overcome your struggle with continuous sin, and a heart of willing obedience. Pray also that God would heal and bring reconciliation to your relationships affected by sin.