Keep Digging Wells
Greetings in the Lord!
All week the Lord has been giving me scriptures that deal with jealousy and contention within the body of Christ. In Matthew 20:1-16 we read the parable about the landowner who hired workers at different times throughout the day, but at day's end, they all received the same wage--much to the displeasure of the earlier hired workers.
"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'" Matthew 20:13-15.
In the Hebrew translation the word 'envious' literally means, "is your eye evil?" All throughout the Middle East this concept is widely understood: Evil eye is associated with jealousy and envy. This parable is for the workers---i.e., the body of Christ. Yes, there are many in the Church who are jealous and envious of the anointed callings of others, especially in this age of young ones who have been called to leadership positions. Let not the ones who have been faithfully serving longer be angry at the Lord's generosity lest they be tempted to slander and oppose the Lord's work.
The next Scripture reference is from Genesis 26:17-24. Isaac was told to move away from the Philistines because he had grown too prosperous. When he moved away, he settled in an area and re-opened a well dug originally by Abraham; it had been stopped up by the Philistines. However, quarreling broke out over the well within the herdsmen, so he named the well "Quarrel" or "Dispute" and left it for the others to have. Again Isaac re-opened another well dug by Abraham and sought to settle there but contention broke out over that one, too. So, he named it "Accusation" or "Opposition" and he left it for them as well. Finally, Isaac re-opened a third well and no one fussed about it, so he stayed and named it "Room," or "Enough," saying, "Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land." Indeed, that night the Lord visited him and reaffirmed the covenant promise made to Abraham that was passed onto Isaac: "...I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham."
Isaac demonstrated humility, perseverance, faithfulness and trust in the Lord. He didn't waste time arguing with the immature brothers who fought for the wells. No, he knew the Lord would open the heavens for him just as he re-opened the wells dug by his father Abraham. He put his confidence in El Shaddai. I could relate very well to this story of Isaac, as I too had dug two wells only to leave them for people would who quarrel and accuse and oppose the work of the Lord. Yet, we are to remember we serve El Shaddai, the God of more than enough. The Lord is going to pour out His Spirit on this land--there is more than enough of His Living Water for all to drink and be satisfied.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
All week the Lord has been giving me scriptures that deal with jealousy and contention within the body of Christ. In Matthew 20:1-16 we read the parable about the landowner who hired workers at different times throughout the day, but at day's end, they all received the same wage--much to the displeasure of the earlier hired workers.
"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'" Matthew 20:13-15.
In the Hebrew translation the word 'envious' literally means, "is your eye evil?" All throughout the Middle East this concept is widely understood: Evil eye is associated with jealousy and envy. This parable is for the workers---i.e., the body of Christ. Yes, there are many in the Church who are jealous and envious of the anointed callings of others, especially in this age of young ones who have been called to leadership positions. Let not the ones who have been faithfully serving longer be angry at the Lord's generosity lest they be tempted to slander and oppose the Lord's work.
The next Scripture reference is from Genesis 26:17-24. Isaac was told to move away from the Philistines because he had grown too prosperous. When he moved away, he settled in an area and re-opened a well dug originally by Abraham; it had been stopped up by the Philistines. However, quarreling broke out over the well within the herdsmen, so he named the well "Quarrel" or "Dispute" and left it for the others to have. Again Isaac re-opened another well dug by Abraham and sought to settle there but contention broke out over that one, too. So, he named it "Accusation" or "Opposition" and he left it for them as well. Finally, Isaac re-opened a third well and no one fussed about it, so he stayed and named it "Room," or "Enough," saying, "Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land." Indeed, that night the Lord visited him and reaffirmed the covenant promise made to Abraham that was passed onto Isaac: "...I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham."
Isaac demonstrated humility, perseverance, faithfulness and trust in the Lord. He didn't waste time arguing with the immature brothers who fought for the wells. No, he knew the Lord would open the heavens for him just as he re-opened the wells dug by his father Abraham. He put his confidence in El Shaddai. I could relate very well to this story of Isaac, as I too had dug two wells only to leave them for people would who quarrel and accuse and oppose the work of the Lord. Yet, we are to remember we serve El Shaddai, the God of more than enough. The Lord is going to pour out His Spirit on this land--there is more than enough of His Living Water for all to drink and be satisfied.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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