A Little Lie
Reading: Genesis 18
My Verse: "Then Sarah denied it, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And He said, No , but you did laugh" (18:15).
It seems a little thing - Sarah's lie here, her denial. Yet, You, LORD God confronted her and made her face the truth of what she did. I read this several times and have been pondering it. I keep thinking that it seems of so little significance. Yet all that You have included in Your Word is for our benefit, for our edification. Each thought is of great import or You would not have included it. And so I am forced to wonder what am I to learn from this little incident?
The situation was something to laugh at. Sarah is "old, well advanced in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah as with women." It was basically impossible for her to bear a child and she hears this person say that she will. "The Lord said, I will surely return to you when the season comes round, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." This quite naturally caused Sarah to laugh to herself. "Therefore Sarah laughed to herself, saying, After I have become aged shall I have pleasure and delight, my lord (husband) being old also?" It was a laughable situation. But then she was confronted. She was questioned as to why she would think it laughable because with God all things are possible. Then, of course she lied, denying she laughed. She did so because she was afraid and probably embarassed that they took notice of her and knew she was eavesdropping. It seems in this little verse it is not so much the topic as the fact of her lie - a little lie.
We so often get caught up in little lies. It is so easy to lie about little things because we think it doesn't really matter, no one else is hurt. Or we are caught off guard and our natural response it to try to cover for ourselves. Yet, You LORD God know every thing that we do. We are an open book to You. You require of us to be pure, to be perfect. "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). And so You confront her with her lie. "But You did laugh."
We are not to be careless in how we live out our lives before You, LORD God! We are not to be careless in how we think of You because that is revealed in all the little things of our life - our attitude, how we respond to awkward situations. I must stay tuned in to You.
"Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposedfully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people). Making the very most of the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague ;and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:15-17).
LORD God, help me today to take this lesson of Sarah's little lie to heart. Help me to be ever aware of how You want me to live before You. Help me to have "clean hands and a pure heart" (Psalm 24:4) for "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8).
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
Reading: Genesis 18
My Verse: "Then Sarah denied it, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And He said, No , but you did laugh" (18:15).
It seems a little thing - Sarah's lie here, her denial. Yet, You, LORD God confronted her and made her face the truth of what she did. I read this several times and have been pondering it. I keep thinking that it seems of so little significance. Yet all that You have included in Your Word is for our benefit, for our edification. Each thought is of great import or You would not have included it. And so I am forced to wonder what am I to learn from this little incident?
The situation was something to laugh at. Sarah is "old, well advanced in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah as with women." It was basically impossible for her to bear a child and she hears this person say that she will. "The Lord said, I will surely return to you when the season comes round, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." This quite naturally caused Sarah to laugh to herself. "Therefore Sarah laughed to herself, saying, After I have become aged shall I have pleasure and delight, my lord (husband) being old also?" It was a laughable situation. But then she was confronted. She was questioned as to why she would think it laughable because with God all things are possible. Then, of course she lied, denying she laughed. She did so because she was afraid and probably embarassed that they took notice of her and knew she was eavesdropping. It seems in this little verse it is not so much the topic as the fact of her lie - a little lie.
We so often get caught up in little lies. It is so easy to lie about little things because we think it doesn't really matter, no one else is hurt. Or we are caught off guard and our natural response it to try to cover for ourselves. Yet, You LORD God know every thing that we do. We are an open book to You. You require of us to be pure, to be perfect. "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). And so You confront her with her lie. "But You did laugh."
We are not to be careless in how we live out our lives before You, LORD God! We are not to be careless in how we think of You because that is revealed in all the little things of our life - our attitude, how we respond to awkward situations. I must stay tuned in to You.
"Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposedfully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people). Making the very most of the time because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague ;and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:15-17).
LORD God, help me today to take this lesson of Sarah's little lie to heart. Help me to be ever aware of how You want me to live before You. Help me to have "clean hands and a pure heart" (Psalm 24:4) for "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8).
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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