Husband and Wife

And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. Therefore, it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, “This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” So, it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house. (Genesis 12:11-15)

That which was promised to Abram was to come through Sarai. The Lord would produce a great nation through them, and He would not change His mind and bring that nation about through any other vessels. Yet, here we see them operating like those who had no relationship with God and no promises from Him, so Abram chose to compromise Sarai and protect himself at her expense. How many men have forfeited and forsaken the promises of God because they did not esteem the importance of oneness with their wives? What a travesty, and even today, too many men of God fall miserably short of loving their wives as they love themselves. Help us, Lord!

God would rectify the situation and remove Sarai from Pharaoh's grip — but unfortunately, Abram would fail this test again (Genesis 20:2). He and Sarai would eventually learn to rely on the Lord to protect them and show Himself strong on their behalf, but it was a slow and painful process. Sometimes, the Lord has to keep His promises in spite of our weakness — but He is patient, as He brings us into a life of grace and faith. Abram and Sarai would grow to trust God and receive His promises, but now, the Lord was teaching them all it meant to be husband and wife, and joint heirs of those promises. May every married couple take heed to this valuable lesson and learn to walk hand-in-hand through the years by faith.

Let's Pray – Dear Lord, may every married man endeavor to appreciate the gift he has in his wife. May he see her as the greatest gift the Lord will ever give him, and may his actions reflect that truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.