I was attending a management training several years ago when the trainer asked an Icebreaking question that how many wives did Abraham have?
Then as a young Christian, I thought Abraham had only one wife, Sarah.
He then went on to read from Genesis how after the death of Sarah Abraham remarried and had another wife Keturah, who bore him six more sons.
With all the chorus of “Abrahams blessings are mine” and “Father Abraham has many sons” my knowledge of the scriptures then was limited.
However, in my trying to be “righteous ” I thought Abraham and Sarah were the perfect couple. For God to use him as a Blessing to the nations of the earth, there would be no comma in his life. Before he continued his actual lecture that trainer threw in another the jab about his having a son call Ishmael through an arrangement, which did not have God’s blessing.
Abraham even lied to Pharaoh about his wife to protect himself. Genesis 12.
After the lecture I asked myself could God really use a man that is not perfect as a father?
” When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am the Almighty God; walk and live habitually before Me and be perfect (blameless, wholehearted, complete).” Genesis 17:1 (AMPC)
God was working on Abraham, and HE did not give up on him till he was refined to be that channel of Blessings that God could use to bless the nations of the earth till today.
Thank God for men who are perfect fathers who had no blemish. Bless God for such men who are 100% flawless in all areas of their lives.
However, if you are like me initially that was searching for the perfect Abraham you can see through the life of the second Adam the Lord Jesus Christ that perfection in a man is attainable. The first Adam as you will recall was not perfect. He blew it.
What type of father figure do you have around you?
Praise God if you see yielded men like the second Adam who had no sin and they are doing everything very very well.
However, don’t lose hope if you have a work in progress man like Abraham that later God changed his name from Abram to Abraham.
“What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations.” Genesis 17:5
As a wife, you may be seeing some faults in your husband.
Continue to pray and speak the truth to him with respect and love. He is a work in progress that is changing.
Remarkably God has raised men like Billy Graham and many others without any scandal and gave the whole world favorable results to see.
As a man keep up the excellent work of attaining perfection.
As work in progress doesn’t give up.
God is at work ensuring that You achieve your God-given purpose in life.
