“Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 12:7-8)

Abraham built an altar wherever he went; he was always near to the place of sacrifice, even in the desert – a location that symbolises scarcity. This was the secret of his success; he always put God first.

“So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South. Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land.” (Genesis 12:9-10)

Abraham had to provide for his family and many servants, and because there was a famine in the land, he thought the best decision was to go to Egypt. However, Egypt was never in God’s plan. In fact, Abraham was told to stay where he was and God would be with him; God would supply his every need.

Many people fail to remember that God won’t let them down. They are desperate about when their blessing will come or how the issue in their relationship is going to be solved, so they go down to Egypt. Whenever the Bible mentions that someone went to Egypt, it uses the same phrase: “they went down.” Abraham went down. Isaac went down. Egypt symbolises lowering your standards in your love life because of desperation and anxiety. Abraham knew that he wouldn’t be able to build an altar in Egypt, and that was his mistake: distancing himself from the altar.

Abraham may not have voiced that he thought his decision to go to Egypt was better than what God had in mind for him, but his actions showed this. People do the same; they won’t say, “My way is better”, but their actions show that they don’t trust God. Husbands/wives cause rifts in their marriage because they are trying to solve the problem their own way. Singletons force relationships that don’t work out later on.

Some are so close to finding their match, but because they are needy and allow anxiety to take over, they go down to Egypt to seek ease. Instead of fighting for their marriage, a couple chooses divorce. Instead of waiting for the person God wants to give, you attract someone who lives in Egypt, which doesn’t result in the love life you expected.

To leave the altar is to stop sacrificing. It’s not easy to preserve yourself when you’re single, but when you stay on the altar, you will receive the best.

Abraham almost lost his wife in Egypt. When you distance yourself from the altar, you become lost in your decisions and lose your point of reference. But when you are close to the altar, you have peace.

“Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South … And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, to the place of the altar which he had made there at first. And there Abram called on the name of the Lord.” (Genesis 13:1, 3-4)

This is the solution. Abraham left Egypt. And so, you must also leave whatever is causing you to lower your standards. No matter whether you are single or in a relationship, don’t go down to Egypt. And if you have found your way there when that is not God’s will for you, then go up. Leave Egypt!

Join us for the Love Therapy seminar on Thursday at 8pm, as we continue to learn from Abraham and Sarah. Please come wearing a face covering and follow all social distancing guidelines.

Meeting: Couples from Genesis series at the Love Therapy seminar
Day and time: Thursday at 8pm
Location: Rainbow Theatre, 232 Seven Sisters Road, N4 3NX
More info: Call or WhatsApp 020 7686 6000