A Daily Devotion for Monday, April 13
- ontrakk
- Apr 13
- 2 min read
Genesis 12:10-20
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. As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you.”
When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was a very beautiful woman. And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace. He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, male and female servants, and camels.
But the LORD inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his household because of Abram’s wife Sarai. So Pharaoh summoned Abram. “What have you done to me?” he said. “Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife? 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!” Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.
Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
These passages led me to look at some of my behaviors a little more closely. I like to think I have given up the need to feel in control of every situation, all of the time. But when I read these passages, I see there are still many many times, probably each day, when I make decisions intending to control situations. Abram made a decision he felt was necessary for himself and the future of his family. But it showed his shortsightedness. And it caused more problems.
For me, my control tends to show up when I am trying to make everyone around me comfortable. When I look at this behavior today, it certainly shows a lack of trust in God’s control. Recently I heard the saying, “There are two kinds of businesses in this life: Your business and NOT your business.” When in doubt, I should leave it to God.
Holy Lord, help me to see more clearly when I should leave the outcome to you. May I have a better and clearer vision of your will for me. Help me to mind my own business and leave you to yours. Amen
Becky, transforming
Genesis 12:10-20 / Psalm 32:8
Well, that backfired… Abram sort of freaked out and lied to avoid getting killed, fear took over. Even though chosen by God, Abram was still human. He responded to fear in a undesirable way instead of trusting God. Thankfully, God protects us even when we screw up and thankfully, his plans don’t depend on our perfect perfection.
Heavenly Father, please help me to trust You when I am scared. Thank you for Your love and faithfulness, even when I fall short. Amen
Monday, April 13th, 2026
GOD’s DIRECTION
(Focus those who feel lost.
Today’s Reading Genesis 12:10-20 (Abram was faithful to God but also sinn
Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Abram was faithful to God. He followed his call, leaving his home, his family, his father’s house, and going to the land God would show him later. Shortly after God promises to bless him, Abram faces a famine and, rather than trusting God, relies on his own intuition , showing that even those called by God can be fearful and sinful. Abram's request for Sarai to lie leads to a crisis where…
Genesi 12:10-20. Psalm 32:8
Lesrning to trust God in all the situations of lives is often difficult. We often question His wisdom with why did this happen? Where do I go from here? Often we think we know best and try to conrol all situations forgetting God"s role in our future. Our plans are often not God's plan. Sometimes we need to step back and let God do his work in our lives. We need to relinquish control to Him.
Prayer: Gracious God, these words are much easier to say than to do. Help me listen to you insted of acting alone. AMEM
Genesis 12:10-20/Psalm 32:8
A major aspect of life is the never-ending series of decisions we face and make. I can generally be trusted with deciding which pair of socks to wear or what to eat for lunch, but when it comes to important decisions I must include God in my deliberations. Like Abram, when I have devised some plan to advance my own interests without considering the broader implications, God has found a way to call me back to my senses. It is a blessing that most of the time the consequences of my bull-headedness can be easily overcome, but I still have memories of having caused harm and hurting people because of it. Even in this season of life…