Digging Wells

 July 30, 2022

In Genesis 26, Abraham’s son Isaac finally takes center stage as he travels through the Promised Land, looking for a place to settle down. When he found a suitable place, he dug a well to supply his herds and flocks. The problem was, whenever he dug a well, there were people who didn’t take kindly to him and contested ownership of the well. So he kept moving and digging wells till he found a spot where there was no opposition.

A well was a sign of ownership, laying claim to its surrounding land. There is a lesson here. Whenever we claim territory for Jesus, the enemy will oppose us.. We keep moving and digging till we find the place God has for us. The text tells us that the Philistines had stopped up the wells Abraham had dug years earlier. Territory claimed can be lost, and when it is, it must be reclaimed. 

It’s hard work. Claiming God’s promises is easy, but realizing them requires more than just words. It does no good to claim something in Jesus’ name if we are unwilling to dig the well that takes us to the Living Water. And every generation must dig its own wells. Isaac opened up wells his father had dug, but which had been neglected. It’s easier digging wells that were originally dug years ago than starting from scratch, but it’s still work that must be done.  Children of godly parents often find it easier to come to Christ than those who have had no exposure to faith, but even they must dig if they are to receive the blessings of the inheritance they were given. So the question remains: How am I digging today?