Lessons from the Past

I came across an interesting passage in Genesis this week. And, even though it is from a familiar story and has been read and taught numerous times, something different ‘stuck out’ this time around. It is not anything funny or cutesy this time. Matter of fact, it is something pretty ‘dog-gone’ serious.

My Sunday School lesson last week was about Ananias and Sapphira, and I made it a point to emphasize the seriousness of what God had to say through this incident in early church history. Well, I’m thinking that all the way back to the beginning of time He had some serious lessons for us to grasp. The imbedded lesson in today’s passage has implications just as serious as those from Acts 5.

Before we start, however, let’s take a moment to look at 1 Corinthians 10:11.  Just as Paul admonished the Corinthian believers to learn from these examples (verses 1-10) God expects us, as well, to learn some lessons from the events He has chosen to include in Scripture. Don’t you think we should all take these lessons more seriously than we often do?

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition… (1 Corinthians 10:11).

In Genesis 20:1-7ff we find the incident when Sarah and Abraham lie to Abimelech regarding Sarah’s true identity. Abimelech pleads his case before God. God excuses Abimelech, provides a solution, and then gives a strong warning~~ Fix this now..” (vs. 7). Then God finishes the sentence with “…or you (and your family) will surely die”. I would say that is a pretty stern warning, wouldn’t you?

God is gracious and understanding. He understands our human weaknesses. He understands that sometimes, despite our best efforts, we find ourselves in a bind. Even though ‘ignorance is no excuse for the law’ (as my mom always said), God and His mercy come through for us time and time again. But, just as He said to Abimelech all those years ago, God has every right to say to us now, “Here (as laid out in God’s Word) is what you need to do to fix it. Do it now,…~~or less!”

Has God delivered you from a potentially ‘dangerous’ situation? Has He given you a second chance when you’ve found yourself caught up in something deeper than you could handle? Has He shown His mercy in spite of unintended circumstances?  I think all of us can say YES to those questions!  Based on 1 Corinthians 10:11, I am guessing that as the All-mighty, Sovereign, Creator God places us back on our feet, He could say-just as He said to Abimelech- “Follow my instructions in this matter…”—What would we do if we actually heard Him add, “..or less.”   

I think we tend to play around with God way too much, and most of the time, we don’t take Him and His WORD seriously. Maybe the examples of Ananias, Sapphira, and Abimelech should open our eyes and cause us to begin to take His warnings more seriously! God means business!

Yes, we serve the God of second chances, and often the God of third and fourth chances~~but… 

 I don’t want to sound like an alarmist, and I am not a prophet that knows His plan for our lives, but I trust that we all stop and think, that with each one of those ‘chances’--- are we really pushing it?

Learn from the second chance~

Debbie