Today’s scripture: Genesis 26 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Terri Brown):
Genesis 26 relates the story of Isaac’s family moving after a famine. It was not the first disaster the family encountered, and it would not be the last. Isaac was given a message from God telling him where not to go, then where to stay.
I used to wonder if God was with me when moving and trying to find the right place. I would anticipate others had been in this same situation, whether due to job, family, or other need. Some of us have even done church hunting like house hunting. We wander aimlessly when not putting it in God’s hands. Isaac had some successes and some not-so-gainful opportunities until finally settling in the place that God had reserved for Isaac and his descendants to flourish in.
Isaac had been near the Philistines, but their king had sensed some vulnerability and asked him to move near the valley. This worked better for Isaac as, after digging wells and quarreling with nearby Philistines, he finally dug a well that flowed with enough water to supply his family and others.
I can relate to Isaac, as I can recall not always feeling just right about where I have lived. I lived in only two different homes with my family when growing up but found myself in different places about every two years thereafter. I never really lived by myself, which was a big factor. From my family home, to a dorm, then with my ex-husband and his family after we married, I often followed someone, somewhere. After a layoff left my ex jobless with our first child was on the way, he joined the Air Force.
I later would discover what I was to learn from these many moves, as two more Air Force bases followed Germany as well as two more daughters. I think I felt like Isaac, not really wanting to ruffle anyone’s feathers but also needing a place to settle and continuing to build on “solid ground,” like that promised to his father, Abraham, and his descendants. I have wandered like this Biblical family and sensed I was not in a “good space” most of the time. I felt like I have dug wells and not experienced flowing waters. I used to tell people that when I start hanging up pictures that meant I was finally beginning to feel at home. Some homes never felt the nail being hammered in the wall. Others were left with nail holes and faded paper behind where pictures once hung.
Recently, however, I started to let go of a lot of stuff I have carried from place to place, both figuratively and literally. After finding a church that fit my needs, I found a place to live, somewhere between my job and the church, with family not too near, but not too far. Pictures are beginning to appear with those permanent nail holes and hanging fixtures. “Stuff” goes to those who need it or to be recycled, except that which is given over to God. There are days I pray for answers about what to do and, with unspoken words, I am better able to “sense” what God wants me to do.
Thought for the day: What is your promised land, and how will you know when you get there? How do you listen to God on your journey so you can let go of the adversity and leave behind the excessive “stuff”? Or are you already praising God daily as you shout “Eureka, I have found it!”
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.