Genesis 20:8-13

So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife. And when God caused me to wander from my father's house, I said to her, ‘This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”

Abimelech could have used the comeback line, “If you keep on prejudging people like this, some dang fool just might mistake that for prejudice.” Abraham’s bigoted assumptions about Abimelech wouldn’t justify his actions, even if they were true—which they aren’t.

Meanwhile, God is in control and has a lesson in store for Abraham. By protecting Sarah in the outrageous situation Abraham put her into, God is displaying his power and his faithfulness. Abraham’s scheme is being overridden by the LORD.

But the main lesson comes from Abimelech.

“What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.”

His use of the word “sin” sharpens the point.

This wasn’t just dumb; it was an offense against the LORD.

This is the road of sanctification that we all walk. God hammers into us lesson upon lesson about who we are and who he is.

However, the lesson usually isn’t a twofer. A lesson will typically either display who God is, or it will expose something about us. Both at the same time would be too painful a contrast.

And that’s the takeaway here. Sanctification is one place where the slogan, “No pain, no gain,” is apt. Remember that the next time you’re suffering, especially for something you did wrong. Look for the lesson.

Prayers at times like these have been some of the most productive prayers I have made. As always, leaving the mask off is essential—though kind of obvious in this case.

And it’s okay to just look heavenward and scream, “And your point would be?”

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These weekday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. Saturdays' by Matt Richardson. Subscribe here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include questions for discussion or meditation, are here: https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

All Scripture taken from the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.