Genesis 12:4-20
At age seventy-five, Abram took his wife Sarai and his nephew Lot and went into Canaan. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” With gratitude, Abram built an altar to the Lord in the same place He had appeared to him. Abram proceeded on and built another altar to the Lord by the mountain.
Since there was famine in the land, Abram and Sarai went into Egypt. Before they arrived, Abram told his wife to say that she was his sister. She was very beautiful, and he was afraid that they would kill him and take her. In fact, Pharaoh’s officials saw her beauty and took her to Pharaoh who took her as his own wife. I bet Abram didn’t see that coming!
Because Pharaoh thought Sarai was Abram’s sister, he treated him well and even gave him livestock, but the Lord struck Pharaoh and his house with plagues because of Sarai. When Pharaoh figured out what was going on, he gave Sarai back to Abram and ordered them to leave the land. He did not want the wrath of God to come down on him.
What was Abram thinking? What a foolish idea! He should have just trusted God in the first place.
It’s amazing to me how God has anointed imperfect men to be such important leaders. Noah got drunk and cursed his own family, Abram lied and gave up his own wife to avoid his own demise, and well, most of us know all about King David (one of God’s favorites), and King Solomon. If you don’t, just wait! They were definitely men behaving badly. No, God obviously does not choose leaders based on their purity. I imagine He chooses them based on their strengths, their belief in Him, and their ability to be the right man for the job. Sometimes, He uses them for His own end.
The good Lord knows that our leaders are not blameless. I’m sure He shakes His head in astonishment at the things that come out of their mouths and the sins they commit, but He sees their goodness and their strengths, and their abilities for the job at hand. Only hypocrites could expect perfection from our leaders. Let’s take a break from bashing them and instead pray for them – all of them. Lord knows they need it!
Walker Lane 