Take a moment to read the entire chapter of Genesis 20 before reading the devotional below.
Sometimes the Bible is hard to read because it doesn’t include every detail, nor does it explain the nuance of every cultural situation. Abraham already tried the “Sarah is my sister” line and it backfired, so why he is using that approach again in this chapter is unclear. From later in the chapter we see that he was actually trying to protect himself, and apparently she is technically his sister (complicated, but true). That description of their relationship communicates a certain availability of Sarah to be approached by other men (but without killing Abraham first). Lest you think God is going to have any part of that evil, he shows up in a dream to make sure Sarah is unharmed.
It’s fascinating here that God clearly defines what might have happened as sin, yet he sees that Abimelech was acting in innocence. He was not trying to violate Sarah. We can sin without meaning to, and that doesn’t make it any less evil. In the end, Abraham and Abimelech make peace and Abraham prays for God’s curse on Abimelech’s people (given as a punishment for what happened to Sarah) to be lifted.
Here’s your freedom for today:
God doesn’t let evil go.
As a counselor, I’ve heard a lot of stories of women being sexually assaulted. It’s evil and if that’s happened to you, I’m so sorry you had to experience that. God cares, and even though we know that bad things can happen in this world, God’s not letting it go. He’s working to rescue us out of this place where evil and destruction are rampant. He’s making a new heaven and a new earth where there is only peace and safety. He’s punishing those who choose to remain on the side of evil. He cared about Sarah and never for a moment forgot who she was or where she was. The same is true for you.