Advent Six - Christ for All Nations

 6) Egypt

Credit The Coptist.com

10 Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe. 11 As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”

14 When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. 15 And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. 16 He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.

17 But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. 18 So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go!” 20 Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had. Genesis 12

Egypt was the great powerhouse south of the Holyland.  From the beginning of the biblical account, it has always had a strong and significant presence.  It is a place of refuge, but not a benign force as we read.

My thought is that we are like people who have had a million pounds put in our bank account, but we forget this.  We don't need to beg, or make things up.  Our Creator is with us and  helps us negotiate the complexities and risks around us. Abraham and Sarah once again drew on their own intuition, rather than look to the Creator of all things.

PRAYER:  May the people of Egypt continue to be central to your purpose.  May Egypt be a place of refuge to many.