“So Abram went down…”
Abram, the man God called to possess the Promised Land, went down into Egypt for food. What shall we do with this information? Was Abram right in going to the world (symbolized by Egypt), or was he supposed to starve to death in Canaan?
The key, I think, was the intention of Abram to reside in Egypt. By making the decision of descending into Egypt to stay, Abram was opening the door to sin. This is reminiscent of Lot’s decision to move into Sodom. Perhaps this little “Egyptian affair” opened Lot’s eyes to the possibility of worldly living in Sodom later on.
Sin affects our lives and those around us. Sin does not explode suddenly in all its wickedness, but is rather a process that sometimes begins with a “little descent.” The “seed” of sin is planted in our hearts, and we are sent in a downward spiral so deep that sometimes we end up committing the same acts we often criticize.
“Say you are my sister…”
The evil seed of sin, when planted in our hearts, bears a wicked and rotten fruit. This seed is different for everyone. For Eve, it was knowledge; for David, a beautiful woman; and for Abram…an empty stomach.
One sin always leads to another, and Abram, having descended into Egypt, was now lying about the identity of his wife. We must call on Jesus; the owner of the garden of our heart, when the devil comes to plant his sinful seeds. We are not helpless victims; we can say no to temptation because Jesus paid in full.
Remember, no seed=no sin.
A. G.
