Digging Again the Wells

And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them. Also Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found a well of running water there. (Genesis 26:18-19)

By Genesis 26 Abraham has passed from the scene, succeeded by his son Isaac. This has always been how God’s work goes forward through time: one generation passes, another generation takes its place, and God continues His work. How those generations relate to each other is important, and Isaac’s actions in Genesis 26 give a practical and spiritual example of how a younger generation can act toward an older generation.

We read that Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham. In other words, Isaac returned to the same resources that had sustained his father and all he possessed (Genesis 21:25-31). It took faith, work, and commitment to dig the wells again, but God provided through Isaac’s diligence.

For nomadic herdsmen water was life. In some seasons of the year, human or animal life could not be sustained without water from wells. These wells were a necessity, not a luxury.

This is a powerful illustration of life in the spirit. The spiritual resources that sustained previous generations are available today, if we will seek them with faith, work, and commitment. Using this as a spiritual illustration, we might say that the wells of peace, power, grace, wisdom, and transformation are available for the believer today as they were for previous generations. The question is whether a present generation will have the faith, work, and commitment to dig the wells again.

Especially in our modern age, it’s easy to think that we have or need different, better resources than our spiritual forefathers had. We are easily impressed by the latest and supposedly greatest, by what is new and shines brightly. These are dangerous and self-defeating ideas. There are old paths for us to walk on, old wells for us to dig again.

Dear brother or sister, think it over. The faith that sustained Athanasius, Hus, Wycliffe, Wesley, and Graham is available to you today. It’s like an old, stopped up well that can provide if it is sought and dug out. In this spiritual analogy, we should be like Isaac and dig again the wells.

Then, we see a special bonus: Isaac found a well of running water. It seems that Isaac discovered something that Abraham had not found. Isaac found the best kind of well – one of running water. This was the best kind of provision, and it came to Isaac as he received the resources once enjoyed by his father Abraham.

As you dig again the old wells and walk on the old paths, God will lead you to fresh sources of spiritual provision – an extra gift of His grace!

Click here for David’s commentary on Genesis 26

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