Sarah was related to her husband before their marriage, and was ten years younger than he. The earliest mention of her is at the time when Abraham, in obedience to the Divine command, went forth “from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan” (Gen_11:29-31). He was accompanied by his father and his nephew, and by his wife. No doubt Sarah would feel very deeply this parting from friends and much that was dear to her in the old home; but although it is implied that Abraham's entrance into Canaan was delayed on his father's account (Act_7:4) there is nothing in Scripture to suggest that his wife was ever unwilling to go where he wished or that his progress was in any way hindered by her. The outstanding quality by which she lives in our memory is the steadfastness of her conjugal devotion. From morn to eve, in storm and in calm, in shadow and in sunshine, in the flush of youth and amid the falling leaves of autumn, she is ever by her husband Abraham's side. Prosperity does not divorce them; adversity does not divide them; time only deepens the intensity of their union.
1. When the scene first opens on the married life of Abraham and Sarah, they are having an experience which their romance had not bargained for-the poverty of the land. They have passed from Ur into Haran and from Haran into Canaan. In Canaan there has arisen a great famine. And Abraham has to think of again removing his tent, as there are others besides himself to care for-his wife, his nephew Lot and his servants-and he casts his eyes and his thoughts towards Egypt, the land of plenty, the fertile country where corn abounded even when other places were stricken with famine. And there in Egypt Abraham is guilty of denying that Sarah is his wife. His fear is that the roving eyes of men in power may fall upon Sarah's beautiful face, and that they would desire to be rid of the inconvenient husband. “Say thou art my sister,” he said, and Sarah obeyed her lord.
2. A more terrible strain upon a woman's conjugal love is not to be conceived. Yet this noble woman stood the strain. She surrendered herself to the solacing of her husband's despair. To bring him peace of mind she acceded to his desire. She consented to a deception; but it was a deception that led right down into a deep vault of self-sacrifice. Sarah is one of the finest specimens of tenacious married life that it is possible to meet. Certainly Abraham ought to have been the one to shield and protect his wife from the evil that he knew her beauty would suggest; instead of this he practically handed her over to Pharaoh and Abimelech in turn by saying, “She is my sister.” But although the faith of Abraham failed, the faithfulness of God did not fail, and He promptly rescued Sarah from the perilous position, and averted disaster.
“If we believe not, he abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself.” But oh, how we dishonour our Lord whenever we fail to trust Him, and what peace, blessing, and triumph we lose in thus sinning against the Faithful One! May we never again presume in anything to doubt Him! Want of trust is at the root of almost all our sins and all our weaknesses; and how shall we escape from it, but by looking to Him, and observing His faithfulness?1 [Note: Hudson Taylor's Choice Sayings, 30.]
