“Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the Lord. Then he pitched his tent and there his servants dig a well.” (Genesis 26:25)
I believe every preacher will give a handful of sermons that prove to be life-altering. And sometimes the life that is revolutionized is the preacher’s. Several years ago, I taught on this text. I shared how God has called His people to build altars, dig wells and live in tents.
We build altars because over and over in life, we look for and celebrate God’s faithfulness. We scan the landscape for His provision and protection and when we identify it, we mark the moment with gratitude.
We dig wells because life is hard and we require a deep reservoir of relationship with God to sustain us from day to day, in season and out. Well-digging is a daily affair; an open bible and an open heart eager to hear from the Lord.
And we live in tents. A commitment to the nomadic life means we are ready to pull stakes up and follow God at a whisper of instruction. It means we hold material things lightly, with a loose grip, that we live not as affixed to this world as the next.
This morning, in the midst of yet another transition, the Lord brought this sermon to mind, making me wonder if this one message will continue to frame out my life. He does call some whole families to live this way; leaning in again and again, never given opportunity to be self-reliant.
I’ve been wading through Jeremiah for a month or more and today an encounter leapt from its pages. The prophet was instructed to invite the Rekabites to dinner. The Rekabites were a nomadic people with a deep commitment to ancestral instructions: live in tents and abstain from wine. God honored this commitment and when Jeremiah offered them wine, they refused.
“We have lived in tents and fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us.” (Jeremiah 35:10)
Through that meeting, God showed Jeremiah that people could follow instructions. They could honor God with their lives and that such honor would be rewarded. The prophet was surely encouraged and so am I. God gives us the strength to live out His commandments. He equips us to build altars, dig wells, and live in tents. The dependent life He calls us to is not too hard, not too difficult to be lived out faithfully. And what’s more, the reward for a life of faithfulness is worth any upfront cost we put forth.
Such a good reminder to me today, as I get out my hammer to pound the stakes again into unfamiliar ground. The Lord is with me, pleased by obedience and ever ready to strengthen and lead. I pause this morning to thank Him for His sustaining provision in the rear view mirror. I shovel out the well a bit more, finding living water to sustain for today, and I unroll my tent, ready to live life here as long as He calls us.
Lord, obedience requires deep dedication. Let us live more committed to You than comfort. May we build altars, dig wells and pitch tents as we follow You faithfully. Give us good attitudes and a sense of adventure as Your perfect plans unfurl for our lives. Amen.