April 1st, 2022 – Late Friday Evening
“Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, ‘God is with you in all that you do…” ~Genesis 21:22
Abimelech and Phicol were Philistines (long before David & Goliath, but the same people group that Goliath hailed from), yet they recognized that God was at work in the life of Abraham. [This seems to be a genuine awareness, not just an outsider’s perspective; remember that Abimelech had already had a very personal encounter with the LORD (in chapter 20) and was likely very aware of His power and authority.] The understanding of God’s favor on Abraham was so clear to Abimelech and Phicol that they came to Abraham to propose a pact between them. It was not because Abraham was a mighty warrior or because he had threatened them, but simply because God was with him in all that he did.
This devotional is short. The questions to ponder are this: Is it evident to those around me that God is with me in all that I do? Is my life a reflection of Him? Am I a vessel of His Spirit? When Peter and John were on trial, the Jewish leaders “realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). When you and I are on trial – either in the same sort of setting, in the fires of life, or under pressure from other people, etc. – is it evident that we have been with Him (or vice-versa)?