Famine versus Faith ...

Monday, Sept 16, 2013. When we look into the life of Abraham, we first find God's promise. Abraham ist told to follow, and God promises to make him into a great nation, to bless him in the land which he will show him. Abraham follows and moves into this land. Here we are now with the story which is told in Genesis 12:

Famine - Challenges for Faith …

10 Now there was a

famine in the land

. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land. 11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” 14 When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. 16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels. 17 But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had. (Genesis 12: 10-20)

This is How Faith Stories Are …

The Abraham story is first a story about some events in the past. Abraham, the great believer, is faced with famine in Kanaan. We read about his reactions and events which are triggered by this famine - hear about Abraham moving out of the land into Egypt.

But these stories are not just about something in the past. The challenge here is one of the challenges which every human will face: being short of something which is important for life. Here, we hear about food. But it can be anything we miss strongly, love, partnership, peace, recognition, support, … Abraham is challenged with the typical challenges of life, with severe difficulties.

The bible does not teach us faith as something which is never challenged. It teaches us faith as something which is challenged right away, when the first steps seem to go well, when blessing is promised. The challenge of Abraham is one which is very important to observe and to take into account when we think about what faith is and where it leads us. Challenges are part of our life story!

Abraham flees into Egypt. That is an important step. Remember that he was promised blessings for going into this land, which he leaves now. God has led him here, but there is not enough food. What about the promise? What about faith? Perhaps everything was just an illusion? Perhaps there is no God? I do not think that Abraham asked that question - he knew God too well. But still he made the decision to go to Egypt and rely on this kind of help. We do not hear about him asking God, we do not hear about steps of faith in this period of his life!

Egypt will play a prominent role for the Holy Land in the following years and centuries to come. It will be a symbol of worldly behaviour and worldy solutions - in contrast to the spiritual life, the life of faith. (Roland Potthast) ... more texts