Wherever You Go, The Fear of God is There

"And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake." (Genesis 20:11)

God enacted a covenant of grace with Abram, whom He later named "Abraham" for the miracle He would work in his life and that of his wife Sarah.

Not once, but twice Abraham lied about his wife to protect himself, not even considering her safety.

Notice that Abimelech, the King of Gerar, just took Abraham's wife, and he didn't even do anything about it!

"2And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah." (Genesis 20:2)

Now, Abraham was convinced that if he told everyone plainly that Sarah was his wife, the heathen kings would kill her.

He believed that they did not care about God nor did they fear Him.

And yet:

"3But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife." (Genesis 20:3)

Even if the enemies in our lives do not know or fear God in any initial sense, we need to trust God that He will put fear upon them, and induce them to honor and respect us, for we are His children:

Remember God's promise to Noah after he and his family left the ark:

"And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered." (Genesis 9:2)

Before that, God issued a clear promise of protection to Cain and then Lamech:

"13And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him." (Genesis 4:13-15)

God also assured protection for Lamech, who had fought to defend himself:

"23And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

24If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold." (Genesis 4:23-24)

Much of the time, we enter into new, different situations, or find ourselves in challenging circumstances. Instead of looking at Jesus, the author and finisher of faith (Hebrews 12:2), we look at ourselves or our circumstances. Notice that Abraham on his "thought" that there was no fear of God in Gerar.  Yet God not only appeared to Abimelech to demand that he restore Abraham's wife to him, but threatened him that he would "surely die" if he did not.

That was the same warning God issues to Adam and Eve about the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Beloved, let us never forget that wherever we go, our Daddy God is determined to protect us in every way, and that whatever weapons or obstacles may come our way, He is a God to us (Hebrews 8:10-12), and that no weapon formed against us will prosper in any way. (Isaiah 54:17).