Dr. Lawrence Butler
The Bridge Church, Pembroke
Our last article revealed to us the blessing of the Lord upon the life of Isaac. When good things come our way often some type of trouble arrives also.
It seems to be the way of life – good and bad interwoven together. When the Lord blessed Isaac to become wealthy and successful, there were battles to fight. Jealousy and greed began to grip the hearts of those around him and disagreements over the wells of water erupted. The servants of Isaac dug again the wells of Abraham, Isaac’s father, which the Philistines had stopped up after the death of Abraham.
Isaac needed even more water because his herds of cattle and sheep were so large. His servants continued digging, and as new wells were established, the local herdsmen began to argue over water rights. Water was a critical resource in this area and often led to fighting and wars. Rather than fight his neighbors Isaac simply relinquished the wells and moved on. Each time a new well came into existence the neighbors came to claim it. Isaac ordered his servants to leave each time, only to dig again. Remember the words of the Apostle Peter, “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God” (I Peter 2:19). This was the example of Christ, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (I Peter 2:20). The struggles over the wells led Isaac to return to Beersheba where the Lord appeared unto him at night (Gen. 26:23-24). His problems simply led him back to the place where God wanted him. After the Lord appeared to Isaac, he built an altar, called upon the name of the Lord, and then pitched his tent there. It was a good place to stay.
Let me provide a little spiritual counseling. Sometimes our problems come to make us move from our place of living. I’m not referring to your neighborhood, but your lifestyle. If you are having problems too great for you to fix, you’re tired of fighting and struggling, why not try a better path. You’ve heard about the Lord, about church, about the Bible and Pastors. Your current lifestyle has all but destroyed hope and joy from your heart. There’s a better place to live, a place where you can be happy, perhaps even get your family and career back. That place is not in alcohol, drugs, gangs, crime and parties. You can only get there through Jesus Christ. It’s time to try something different and better. Try Jesus.
