It’s easy to see why Abraham said what he did. He didn’t want King Abimelech to have him killed. Even though God had promised to give him and Sarah an heir (obviously Abram’s death would make it hard for God to keep His promise), Abram did what he could to protect himself from the powerful ruler.
Abraham failed to consult God in this time of crisis; he took matters into his own hands. Doing so put him and those he loved in danger. Like Abraham, we can be guilty of not trusting God in difficult situations. God uses such blunders to show us our limitations and our need for Him.
But perhaps Abraham’s lying words–like some of your decisions–were an unthinking reaction to the dangerous situation he found himself in. And perhaps you can remember less-than-honest, less-than-godly responses to circumstances in your life. May you reach the point where you are so close to God that your automatic reaction is to consult Him!
Then, when God does offer his guidance, trust Him and obey regardless of whether His direction makes perfect sense to you. He knows what He is doing!