Genesis 20:1-13: Abraham and Trials

A crucible is a metal or ceramic container that metal, or some other objects are placed in and subjected to very high temperatures. At the end of the process the liquid metal is poured out, free from many of the impurities that were a part of it when it entered the crucible. Because of this several groups, including the Marine Corps, have used the concept of crucible to describe a purifying process that new members go through.

The goal of these groups is to train, test, and mold, in such a way that they might form those they placed within the crucible into something stronger, and better prepared, to do the job they were training to do.

But even without organized processes that may be called "Crucible," we all at some point or another, have our lives poured into this metallic cauldron. And irregardless of how we act while in the crucible, we come out different than we went in.

In Genesis 20, Abraham is going into a crucible of sorts. It is called Gerar. Gerar is a place that resembles trial and test for Abraham, because it is here that he had to decide whether to entrust his life to the care of God, or take the protection of his life into his own hands.

Gerar was infamous for being a place where men with beautiful wives "ended up missing," and their wives ended up with the king. It is a great testimony that Abraham looks at his elderly wife and says, "If the king takes beautiful women, he is certainly going to take you." But in this passage, that is the only notable thing that Abraham does. The rest of it reads like a nightmare.

There is an important human phenomena that takes place in this story that, if obeyed and directed properly, can help us excel in our life with God. That is,

The thing you fear the most in any given situation is the thing you will focus on, and the thing you focus on will influence your behavior the most.

For example, my daughter is terrified of bugs. When she seems them she freezes in terror, and watches it like a hawk. As she is watching it she will start screaming for help, and if the bug moves a millimeter closer, she will move a mile away. Her fear of the bug leads to her focus on it, and as she focuses on it, it becomes bigger than a bug (a monster perhaps), and now the bugs movement influences her behavior.

This is not just a children's thing. Pay attention to the way things are advertised on TV, mark the way political campaign commercials are portrayed. Fear it always the motivating factor, because they know that if they can get you to fear, they can control your behavior.

And Abraham walks into Gerar, having given himself over to fear. He enters Gerar focused on their infamous reputation. His fear of them grows so much that he now cannot even consider that God has been his protector in times past (Gen. 15:1), and may even deliver him now. So now his fear of them is so palpable that he leans to his wife and whispers:

"If anyone asks, tell them you're my sister."

This is the insanity that fear can work in a persons life. 

So what is the alternative? How can we enter into situations that evoke fear in our lives? Should we just try harder? Trying harder doesn't work, this is the second time Abraham has leaned over to his wife in such a way. So what should we do? How can we go into Gerar and emerge victorious?

The answer is, we should fear God.

FEAR GOD!

That's how we emerge from the crucible without letting it conquer us. Because fear works the same way with God as it does with the Gerar's of the world.

When we fear God we notice that he is awesome, terrifying, and holy, but we cannot look away, we focus on him. And as we focus on him we begin to see things in their proper perspective; that is, small problems, BIG GOD. Then our behavior is influenced, not by the fearful desire to protect ourselves, but by the holy God we are keeping in our view.

I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. - Psalm 16:8

This is Abraham's lesson from the crucible, and it is ours, too. We may not face "Gerarian" sized trials on a regular basis, but we will face trials. We will have the opportunity to place our focus on something. Why not God?

"The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." - Deuteronomy 31:8