Genesis 26:18-25 God ranks the qualities of trust and obedience above gifts and abilities

Genesis 26:18-25  God ranks the qualities of trust and obedience above gifts and abilities

Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the same names which his father had given them. 19 But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of flowing water, 20 the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with the herdsmen of Isaac, saying, “The water is ours!” So he named the well Esek, because they contended with him. 21 Then they dug another well, and they quarreled over it too, so he named it Sitnah. 22 He moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it Rehoboth, for he said, “At last the Lord has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

23 Then he went up from there to Beersheba. 24 The Lord appeared to him the same night and said,
“I am the God of your father Abraham;
Do not fear, for I am with you.
I will bless you, and multiply your descendants,
For the sake of My servant Abraham.”
25 So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

Background

Isaac, in the process of settling in the land faced the same oppositions from the indigenous Philistines as his father, Abraham. Isaac’s pacific personality seems unsuited to the role of heir and founder of God’s kingdom. Yet, we see him receiving greater promises and achieving more than Abraham did. Today’s devotion teaches us that God can use any one powerfully without changing their core personalities as long as they trust God and obey Him. God ranks the qualities of trust and obedience above gifts and abilities.

Observation

Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham.

Isaac’s household, upon facing persecution from the Philistines moved from the more populated area of Gerar to the valley and he proceeded to reopen the wells that belonged to his father Abraham. He also gave the wells the same names which Abraham gave. This is to re-establish the rights that Abraham had earlier secured with the Philistines. The Philistines, being determined to annul the agreement with Abraham and his descendants had covered the wells with earth shortly after his death. When Isaac reopened one of the wells and discovered water, the Philistines was not about to let it go easily and contended with Isaac’s herdsmen. Twice, the Philistines quarrelled over the wells that Isaac had reopened. And twice Isaac conceded and named the wells “Esek” (contention) and “Sitnah” (hostility). The incidents reveal Isaac’s pacificity which contrasts with his father’s vehement personality. Nevertheless, at the uncovering of the third well, the Philistines left Isaac alone and did not contend over it. Thus, Isaac named the well “Rehoboth” (open spaces) signifying the arrival of his long-awaited peace and land to call their own.

I am the God of your father Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you.

Subsequently, Isaac moved to Beersheba as his flock had grown so large that spreading outward became inevitable. Upon arriving at Beersheba, God appeared to Isaac and gave him a promise as He did for Abraham. It is customary for God to appear to His patriarchs in the course of their careers to affirm them of His presence. The theophany has placed Isaac in the same league as Abraham, the possessor of the promise, and heir of God’s kingdom.

Truth

God can use any one powerfully without changing their core personalities as long as they trust and obey Him

Isaac seems to possess less drive when compared to his father or his sons. His encounters with the Philistines portray him as a timid person that others push around. Somehow, this seemingly ineffectual man receives greater promises and achieves more than his predecessor Abraham did. In fact, Isaac’s tractable nature had made him a fitting sacrifice when his father requested him to be his burnt offering. What was supposedly a deficient feature in his personality make up contributed to his success. This narrative teaches us that God can use any man regardless of personality or background to reign over his kingdom if he possesses the core qualities of trust and obedience.

God is not looking for a super human with a plethora of gifts, but one who is pliable and faithful to God’s commands and vision. Each of the patriarchs with peculiar personalities possesses different strengths and weaknesses. Abraham is a feisty man who initiates treaties with kings and leads his own military campaigns. Isaac, on the other hand is peaceable and uncombative, while Jacob is treacherous, deceitful, and stubborn. For them, God smoothens their rough edges and uses each differently to establish His kingdom.

However, many resort to idolising people who in their opinion are successful. Some in a bid to succeed quickly even copied their predecessors’ idiosyncrasies and mannerisms. In fact, God has a knack for using those who by human standards are unlikely material: The disciples of Jesus are uneducated and insignificant. But they took the world by storm. David was considered the least in the household, and was deliberately left out when his father brought his sons before the prophet Samuel. But God anointed him to defeat his enemies and he ruled Israel at the youthful age of 30.

Among the criteria that God uses to select an heir for His kingdom, gifts and talents are not requisites, but the qualities of trust and obedience are.

Application

Are you accustomed to looking down on yourself because of your perceived lacklustre personality and background? And you justify your lack of confidence by focusing on your deficiencies. God can and still wants to use you powerfully for His purposes. He can turn your deficiencies into strengths. But you need to emulate Jesus who is the model for us all. By reading the word and praying daily in the Spirit, you will begin to understand yourself better and be used by God. As you trust and obey God’s word, Christ’s virtues and the gifts of the Spirit will begin to blend into your personality.

Dear Lord, I thank you for making me the way that I am. Help me see my uniqueness and appreciate the beauty within me. Help me face my deficiencies boldly and sanctify me by your power. Use me powerfully to do your kingdom’s work. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.