Dwelling with the Philistines. There was a famine
in the land, and Isaac went down to dwell with the Philistines.
Much like his father, Abraham, he was afraid for his life and
lied about Rebekah his wife, saying that she was his sister. When
King Abimelech learned the truth, he mildly rebuked Isaac and
charged his people to treat them kindly. In spite of all this,
Isaac prospered while in the land of the Philistines, and his
possession of flocks and herds and his store of servants became
very great, so much so that the Philistines envied him.
Redigging the Wells. Whether out of envy or out
of fear, Abimelech's attitude toward Isaac changed, and he asked
Isaac to leave, "for thou art much mightier than we."(Genesis
26:16). Isaac moved to the valley of Gerar, where Abraham had
dwelt earlier. Needing water, he dug, again, the wells that his
father Abraham had dug, wells that the Philistines had stopped.
However, the herdmen of Gerar claimed the wells as theirs, so
Isaac moved and dug another well. The herdmen claimed that one
also, so Isaac, the peacemaker, moved again. This time his servants
dug a well that they could claim as their own.
Back to Canaan. Seeing the Lord was with Isaac
(Genesis 26:28), Abimelech came to Isaac once more, desiring conditions
of peace. After the terms of the covenant were agreed upon and
confirmed with a feast, "Isaac sent them away, and they departed
from him in peace." (Genesis 26:31). All Isaac knew in the
land of the Philistines was strife and contention. Not until he
separated himself from them did he find peace.
Paul and Barnabas. When Paul and Barnabas were
planning their second missionary journey, they disagreed over
taking John Mark. "And the contention was so sharp between
them, that they departed asunder one from the other." (Acts
15:39). Did they disagree over matters of faith? Was one right
and the other wrong? Were there hard feelings between them? Apparently
not, for Paul later said that Mark was profitable unto him. (2
Timothy 4:11) Things worked out for good (as God has promised
in Romans 8:28), for then there were two mission teams in the
field instead of one. Paul and Barnabas were not in competition
with one another but used their own talents, blessings, and opportunities
in their own way for a common cause: the spread of the gospel
and the salvation of souls.
Having Gifts Differing. "As every man hath
received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as
good stewards of the manifold grace of God." (1 Peter 4:10)
Which is most important in a table setting, the knife, the fork,
or the spoon? That all depends on what you are eating. There is
a place and a purpose for each. Is it not also true within the
body of Christ? "For as the body is one, and hath many members,
and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body:
so also is Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12). There is beauty
and harmony when each member is allowed to fulfill his or her
God-given purpose within the body of Christ.
There are many different colors in a box of crayons.
Each has a place. Would a rainbow be as beautiful were it all
one color? -3281 Rosedale Road, Shock WV 26638-8410. 304 462-0384.
E-Mail: ghmiller@rtol.net