A Broad Place

Genesis 26:1-25

It's funny isn't it how so often we seem to inherit the fears of our parents. Reading here in Genesis and seeing Isaac respond in just the same way as Abraham by lying about his wife opened up some questions for me. Have I inherited any of the fears of my ancestors and if I have what am I to do? 

And then of course I realised that even if I have, even if fear is 'genetic' it really doesn't matter because in Christ I have been set free - He has broken the chains of sin and fear and I am able to trust Him in any and every situation knowing that He really will cause all things to work together for my good because I love Him and have been called according to His purpose - Romans 8:28. It is amazing to see that truth repeated over and over again in the examples we are given from the lives of the Old Testament saints.

And so as I read about Isaac I began to give thanks to my Lord - to the One who has called me to lay every anxiety, every fear, every burden at His feet. I began to give thanks and to praise the One who is bigger and stronger than all of my fears, all of my enemies. I began to praise the God who is Sovereign over all and whose purpose and plans cannot be thwarted.

Jesus Christ has conquered every foe and now He is teaching me to stand in His victory and receive that victory for myself. He is calling me and leading me to understand more about His very great salvation and to so love Him that I cannot but exalt His name even in my darkest hours.

And so I pray - O Lord bless Your name, thank You, please open the eyes of my faith to really see and understand and lay hold of the length and the breadth and the depth and the height of this glorious salvation - this love that lives forever and will light every step of my journey Home.

You led Isaac and he faced opposition and so had to keep moving until he was in the place that you wanted him. He didn't know that the opposition was Your way of moving him until he came to Rehoboth, to the 'broad place' and knew that he would be fruitful there - and then he built his altar and heard Your voice and there in that place he worshipped You.

Are you facing opposition? Are you going through trials that seem too much for you to handle? Are you beginning to doubt that the wells you dig will ever flow with that living water - the water of life that the Lord has promised will flow in and through you? Keep going on with Him, dear friend, for He has promised that He will lead you on - out into the broad place and there you will hear His voice 'Do not fear, for I am with you'.