Daily Devotions
Genesis
"I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness…" 1 Chronicles 29:17
Text: Genesis 12:1-20
THE PRINCIPLE OF TESTING
The concept of God testing the faith of an individual is an age-old practice. Adam and Eve were tested with reference to their obedience to the Lord (Cf. Genesis 3). So were Cain and Abel (Cf. Genesis 4). The principle of testing was stated more formally in the Book of Exodus.
“There He made a statute and an ordinance for them,
and there He tested them, and said, ‘If you diligently heed
the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight,
give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes…”EXODUS 15:25-26
“…That I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.”
EXODUS 16:4
The Lord Jesus also employed the principle of testing with reference to the training of His disciples.
“But this He (Jesus) said to test him (Philip),
for He Himself knew what He would do.”JOHN 6:6
A TOUGH TEST
No test is “easy”. It is unrealistic to give “easy tests”. They would be of little meaning or significance. What was Abram’s test?
“Now there was a famine in the land,
and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there,
for the famine was severe in the land.”GENESIS 12:10
1. Abram did not expect to experience a severe famine
It must have been difficult for Abram to experience a severe famine. Perhaps he had to struggle with reconciling himself to famine in the promised land! How could they go together?
2. Abram did not fare so well in this test
Abram somehow did not know how to apply his faith in this tough situation. There were immediate and dire needs to be met. His family members had to be fed and taken care of. He also had servants who worked for him. Then there was the livestock! If the famine persisted, or got worse, then he would have lost everything he possessed!
There were a number of things that he could have done. He could erect another altar and call on the Name of the Lord. He could have chosen to stay on in the land of Canaan and exercise trust! He did none of these things. Instead, we read
“…And Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there
for the famine was severe in the land.”GENESIS 12:10