GENESIS 26 WELLS As I watched the peace-loving man, Isaac, I was caused to greatly admire how a man of patience and good will conducts himself when pressured and tormented. Famine comes on us from time to time in the normal course of the seasons of life. It could have been that Isaac was making preparations to do the same as Abraham had done years before. But the Lord revealed His will to Isaac and without any questioning of the Lord, Isaac obeyed God. Not every action that seems the most reasonable to us is the one God would have us take. At times it is more difficult to stay put, than to flee the course of events that falls on us.
Even so, in that testing time, Isaac resorted to the same pattern before the present Abimelech of Gerar as Abraham did before the Pharaoh of Egypt. Actually, Isaac went a step farther than his father did. Abraham called Sarah his sister, and she was, in that she was a half-sister. Isaac used the same words in regard to Rebekah, even though she was his cousin. The "half-lie" of Abraham, became a "full-lie" of Isaac. It is not uncommon for each succeeding generation to go a step farther away from the path of righteousness than the one before them. Watching that scene in the life of Isaac made me to stop and consider what values I have left my children. The everyday life I have lived before them has probably helped them to shape their own values and course in life. I hope the everyday life I have lived before them had a positive effect and the example and model will help them live for the Lord. I am thankful for the examples lived before me. I wonder what the final outcome of the choices my family is making will be.
I noticed as I read the account of Isaac in Gerar, that God blessed him for his willingness to stay where he was instead of going to Egypt. The world's way may seem attractive and reasonable, but the will of God always takes precedence in every action, even if there is potential conflict around us.
In that dry land the wells of water were more precious to them than anything else for one who has herds and flocks to feed and water. Without water the animals would die. To plug up the wells of water a man dug would be an act of war. Each well had a name to identify it as to ownership and as a place of meeting a fundamental need. There was more than enough to provide for all. Jealousy for Isaac's material wealth provoked them to resentful actions by filling up his wells with earth and taking the initiative leading to conflict so they could take what he owned. Three times he had new wells dug. The first two times he moved rather than enter into conflict. He chose to keep the peace rather than fight back, and in the end his patience was rewarded and he was respected by those around.
I thought about that potentially war-like scene and stopped to consider events that have occurred to me and ones that may come yet in the future. Am I determined to claim and demand my rights? Would I be willing to walk away from what I have worked hard to accomplish? When there is conflict that is waiting to break out because of jealousy or other conflicting issues - will I stand and fight, or seek to reach out in peace? Some times I think I must draw a line and say, "No further! This is where this must stop!" On other occasions there are alternatives that present themselves but will cost me time, effort and money - and yet I must walk away and pay the cost of loss.
I know God can work things out in the most difficult of circumstances, and there are times when His way is the least attractive to me. I must keep before me the conscious thought that, one way or another, God's influence and control over my life is what is important; not my own sense of what is fair or any accomplishments I may seek to claim.
I must reach out in love - even me!
What's with the shovels, every time I see you, you have one in your hand? Surely there's room for everyone here, all around us there is empty land. You seem to spend more time digging wells than attending to the sheep - Yes, I know they need water, more than grass now, and the water is deep.
So, I must keep digging, it takes more time to get water than feed. Grass and fodder regenerates themselves, renewed by nature's own seed. But to get water to maintain life, one has to take time to dig. Sometimes the water seems to flow itself, but other times the flow is not big.
But the fact remains, the water is there, and someone has to make the effort To bring to the surface what is hidden, to find the water is a separate Work to be done that's out of sight, and one will generally be alone, Because down in the well there is dirt to move before the water will come.
When the water starts to flow into the well, then one can climb back to the surface, And start to give out the life-sustaining water you found for that very purpose. The sheep and the lambs need water and food, that is the laborers job. The digging of wells for the water of life won't be noticed by anyone but God.
The laborer knows when the thirst is quenched results will then be seen. We don't know the final outcome of digging; we just know what would've been - A dying flock and dying herds, because no one was willing to take the time To keep on digging way out of sight until life-giving water they find.
"Father, may I keep at this kind of labor even though I know many think it is a waste of time. Help me to be faithful in seeking Thy will and Word. And Father, I would be so grateful if we could see some life-giving results now to bless Thy people, save sinners and glorify Thee in this place. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."