January 6 – Famine

Genesis 12:10

Now there was a famine in the land; so Abram went down to Egpt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.

 When there is a famine there is no lunch with the Lord.  No banquet set before the King.

Abram and Sarai settled in the land of Canaan that God had given to Abram and his descendants (Genesis 12:7).  It was there in the land of Canaan that they encountered a famine.  They packed up and went to Egypt.  The problem was that when they arrived in Egypt Abram lied and said that Sarai was his sister.  He did that to “protect” himself, thinking that the Pharaoh would kill him to take the beautiful Sarai as his own wife.  Pharaoh did take Sarai as his wife and Abram was given lots of livestock.  Eventually when Pharaoh found out that Sarai was Abram’s wife, he sent them out of Egypt.  No famine in the Promised Land now.

Life is uncertain.  Land and descendants were promised to Abram.  Did his lying to Pharaoh make a difference in the timeline?  Does God create circumstances like “famine” to test us?  If so, how do you measure up to His test?  Consider the choices you make with spiritual and physical food.  It all comes back to that moment by moment decision.  Choices.  Attitudes.