May the mumbling commence!
As I read this morning from Genesis chapter twenty-six, I couldn’t help but think of the parable of Jesus that dealt with the different types of soils. Read the passage from Genesis twenty-six standing with the parable from Matthew chapter thirteen.
That year Isaac's crops were tremendous! He harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. He became a rich man, and his wealth only continued to grow. He acquired large flocks of sheep and goats, great herds of cattle, and many servants. Soon the Philistines became jealous of him, and they filled up all of Isaac's wells with earth. These were the wells that had been dug by the servants of his father, Abraham.
And Abimelech asked Isaac to leave the country. "Go somewhere else," he said, "for you have become too rich and powerful for us."
So Isaac moved to the Gerar Valley and lived there instead. He reopened the wells his father had dug, which the Philistines had filled in after Abraham's death. Isaac renamed them, using the names Abraham had given them. His shepherds also dug in the Gerar Valley and found a gushing spring.
But then the local shepherds came and claimed the spring. "This is our water," they said, and they argued over it with Isaac's herdsmen. So Isaac named the well "Argument," because they had argued about it with him. Isaac's men then dug another well, but again there was a fight over it. So Isaac named it "Opposition." Abandoning that one, he dug another well, and the local people finally left him alone. So Isaac called it "Room Enough," for he said, "At last the Lord has made room for us, and we will be able to thrive."
From there Isaac moved to Beersheba, where the Lord appeared to him on the night of his arrival. "I am the God of your father, Abraham," he said. "Do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you. I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will do this because of my promise to Abraham, my servant." Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. He set up his camp at that place, and his servants dug a well. (Genesis Verses 12-25)
"A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plants sprang up quickly, but they soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil. Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades. But some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!" (Matthew Verses 3-9)
Indeed, the Lord does bless our effort a hundred times over when we are faithful to our Creator. And with that blessing there often comes conflict from other people. So, it is essential that we learn to deal with conflict in a godly way.
For a godly way of handling conflict, we can look to Isaac in this passage. Isaac did not add to the conflict. Instead, he looked for a land where there would be room enough for him and his massive wealth.
When we are in the hands of God, there is no reason for fear. God’s promises are both real and certain.
That kind of God is worth worshiping at great expense… even when we may appear to be weak in the eyes of our contemporaries. That kind of sacrifice is well worth it… sacrificing to be included in the blessings of God.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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