The Archenemy of Faith
Fear is with Abraham at every turn. When he’s told to leave Haran (Genesis 12:1), it’s fear that would hold him back; fear of stepping out into the unknown and leaving behind the safety and security of life as he knew it. When he arrives in the land and finds it occupied (Genesis 12:6), we can imagine fear raising questions of whether this major uprooting has been in vain. When he travels to Egypt (Genesis 12:10-13), fear looks over his shoulder, and capitalizes on a vulnerable moment. He fears for his life and lies about his wife’s identity. When he reflects on his wife’s barrenness (Genesis 15:2) he fears that his inheritance will go to his servant Eliezer of Damascus. The subtle outline of fear is recognizable in each scene. But Abraham is called the father of faith, because he believed God. He had some failures, he got it wrong at times, but he believed God and prospered. Invite someone to take a closer look at Christ and his church.
