Talk about a dysfunctional family! Jacob and Esau, the twins from Isaac and Rebekah’s union, came out of the womb at odds, and are still, seemingly, in the midst of sibling rivalry. Esau has been out hunting and comes home hungry, where Jacob has been cooking stew. Esau is so hungry, he agrees to sell his birthright in exchange for food. The birthright was the right of the first-born child, in simplest terms. After he ate stew, he hated his birthright.
Then, Isaac is dwelling in the same area as Abimelech due to a famine. While in Gerar, the men asked Isaac about his wife, for she was beautiful. He told them that she was his sister. Sound familiar? Here we have a “like father, life son” moment. Eventually, Abimelech saw them being affectionate to one another and scolded Isaac, sending him away after a time.
When Isaac went away to the Valley of Gerar, he re-dug the wells of Abraham, and called them by the names of those previous wells. He and the herdmen of Gerar argued over the wells, and Isaac deferred and eventually dug a well and called it Rehobeth (Spaciousness), and declared “the Lord has made room for us.”
What is the message here? When you have problems, God still loves you. When your family is a mess, God loves you and can heal your family. There is no need to give up, quit, or throw in the towel. When men oppose you and cast you out of their fellowship, do not lie or quarrel or be depressed. Instead, re-dig the wells and seek the living water of God. Be refreshed by His presence and see what God will do. He will bring you enemies before you, as He did Abimelech, who apologized and made a treaty with Isaac. He will heal your family, as He did when Esau and Jacob reconciled years later. He will refresh your soul at the well of God. Drink deeply, Friends…
Devoted To You 