Abram’s Early Years

Genesis 12-13

There was in the land of Haran a man God chose to bless.
He called Abram to up and leave to a place he could only guess.
Abram took Sarai and went to Bethel. There he pitched his tent,
But a famine in Canaan caused him to think to Egypt he was sent.

As he and Sarai drew near to Egypt, we see his failure of faith.
Abram feared that he would be killed for Sarai’s beauty and grace.
He decided right then to call her his sister, a truly foolish sin,
For Pharaoh, thinking she was free, desired to take her for him.

And so one day some men showed up with a great herd of sheep;
“Pharaoh sent these herds for you, and Sarai is his to keep.”
Sarai was taken to Pharaoh’s harem, but before there was time to marry
God sent plagues disturbing Pharaoh and suddenly he became wary.

“Why did you lie and call her your sister,” said Pharaoh so displeased.
“Take your wife and all your possessions. I want you now to leave.”
So Abram left and went back to Bethel. His shame could not be ignored.
When he arrived he built an altar and called on the name of the Lord.

While there at Bethel Abram prospered as did his nephew Lot.
Their two herds took all the land. There wasn’t an empty spot.
Abram proposed they separate: the mountains or plains toward Sodom.
Lot selfish choice of the plains was bad, for it very nearly got him.

So Abram settled in the hills of Canaan and Lot on Sodom’s rich plains.
Soon we’ll see a big problem for Lot, for the men of Sodom were strange.
But Abram in the hills of Canaan a wonderful blessing received.
His was the land in every direction if he obeyed and believed.

How often we too are just like Abram with times of joy and tears.
Sometimes we obey and others we fail because of our sin and fears.
But God, who is gracious, calls us to Bethel and there we kneel to pray.
He reminds us then how much we are loved each and every day.

So if you have drifted down to Egypt and walked on sin’s false road;
If your mind is burdened with guilt and your heart is about to explode;
Turn to Bethel, fall on your knees; call on the Lord above.
Confess your sin, restore your heart, and bask in your Savior’s love.

© Copyright George M. Cuff, All Rights Reserved