WHICH COUNTRY DO YOU LIVE IN?
Part 3

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go:
I will guide thee with mine eye”
(Psalm 32:8).

ISAAC KEEPS DIGGING WELLS

Isaac dug a second well. Abimelech’s servants fought over this well too. This time Isaac called it Sitnah meaning “hostility, accusation.” The persecution didn’t lessen, but heightened. Maybe you wonder why you face resistance, persecution, and scorn when you obey the Lord and seek to walk in His perfect will. Can I remind you again? It’s all part of growing in your walk with the Lord. Don’t be surprised by it. Keep on walking in the light, even in Philistine territory!

1 Peter 4:12-14 says: “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you; on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” Read also Matthew 5:1-12; Acts 5:41;and 2 Timothy 2:12.

What does Isaac do this time? He still doesn’t give into the flesh and react with rejection and bitterness. He just moves on again to find another place to dig a well. Often God uses contention and difficult situations to guide us. He pricks our nest to move us on or we may stay settled forever. Many times in our lives, Collin and I have faced dire situations, challenges, and even betrayals and have had to move on. But we look back and see the divine guiding hand of God moving us on to where He wants us to be. If God hadn’t stirred up the nest, we would never have moved.

We find Isaac digging another well and this time God blessed him. Nobody fought over this third well and Isaac called it Rehoboth meaning “broad places.” Isaac says in Genesis 26:22: “For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

Praise the Lord, life is not all battles. Sometimes we face battles; other times we enjoy great fruitfulness. Paul confessed in Philippians 4:12: “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” Even Job’s terrible troubles did not last for a great length of time and God brought him into a greater place of blessing than before his suffering.

However, Isaac didn’t put down his roots in Reheboth either. Even though he was enjoying a life of rest and great fruitfulness, he moved on. As he matured and listened, God was able to lead him without making life difficult for him. God kept drawing him on to the place where He wanted him to be and he arrived at Beer-sheba. Genesis 26:24 tells us: “And the LORD appeared unto him the same night and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake.”

Even through our difficulties as we walk through life, God’s ultimate plan is to bless us, although He often blesses us in different ways than we would think. God promised Isaac to multiply his offspring. Do you want this blessing? This is the blessing God loves to give most of all. Check out these Scriptures although there are many more examples: Genesis 1:28; 9:1; 17:15-17; 26:3, 4; 48:3, 4; Deuteronomy 7:13; 13: 17; and 28:2, 4.)

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

PRAYER:

“Thank you, dear Father, for Your guiding hand upon our lives. I thank you for the difficult times when you pricked our nest and caused us to change our ways, or even our location. I thank you that I can trust our lives in Your hands, knowing that you are always leading us onw3ards, closer and closer to You and in Your perfect plan. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

God is totally good in the difficult times and in the fruitful times. All are for my blessing.

Next week we will find out what Isaac does in Beer-Sheba.