Do you Learn from Your Mistakes

Genesis 20

Sometimes we have the tendency to not learn from our past mistakes. Here we see Abraham doing the same thing that we see earlier in his life. He lies to a king about Sarah not being his wife but being his sister. Remember in chapter 12 after God called Abraham and his family to leave his hometown, they went to Egypt and he lied to Pharaoh by saying Sarah was his sister. Again God intervened on the behalf of Abraham by speaking to King Abimelech in a dream by saying, “This woman is married and now you are a dead if you continue.” Of course this would freak any one out by having the Supreme God audible come to you in a vision so the king went back to Abraham and asked why he lied about who Sarah being his wife. Abraham shared how he was scared and lacked faith in God (that is what I see at least). Not only did Abraham get his wife back he also got some servants and some livestock, score! God has his righteous plan and he will not let man’s flaws get in his way. He works through them for the greater good. God allowed Abraham to be rewarded for sinning? God is gracious to us all the time and we may not get rewarded with sheep and oxen but he allows us still to live and still to follow after him, I think that is a better reward than any materialistic thing in this life. God does not mess around with his purpose in this life. Even when humans try to do things their own way God’s plans still work out like he wanted. The sad thing is that we fall into the same traps with the same sin all the time. It may not be lying about our wife being our sister but we lie, we cheat, we steal, we lust, we fall into temptation everyday. Think of one time that you messed up and you knew that you did that earlier in your life. How did you feel, especially when you get caught? Why did you do it? Did you ever say, “Why did I do that again, I am so STUPID!” I know for me it is my sin nature and that strong desire that wants to sin. The Bible tells us in 1st Corinthians 10:13 that there is no temptation that is too powerful for us to overcome. How is this possible? Because God has provided a way out. It is us who need to call on him. God did the work and now we need to follow. I desire every time that I get tempted that I need to call out for God and have his WORD go through my mind and heart so I can walk straight. I mess up and I just desire to follow God more and more.