Digging Wells (Genesis 26)

It was one of those days. This morning I woke up listless after two days of heady ministry. I preached one of my best sermons yet yesterday in church. Words just flowed from my mouth in rapid succession, all in Malay. Readers of my blog might not realize that since my return to Sabah, 99% of my ministry is now done in Bahasa Malaysia (Malay language). It went for just over an hour and an elder commented later that he did not feel the time because of the anointing. Straightway I was invited back to preach next month. On Saturday I conducted a Revelation seminar which was my 17th End-time Seminar since 2010. About 50 people from a small church attended and the women's fellowship that organised the event was brilliant throughout. But I stood up most of the times, 6 long hours of lectures from 8.30am to 5pm in the evening. So this morning I waited on the Lord and I read Isaac's experience of living in the land. When he went to Gerar, the local inhabitants contended with him. Isaac's men dug wells but one after another, Isaac's neighbours closed them and he had to move until such time when he dug a well and there was no longer contention.
This passage from Genesis spoke to me a great deal. I felt much contented now that there is no more contention. I minister freely when or where people or churches invite me and no one is threatened by my presence in their midst. I only go to places where people welcome me. Of course, unless like Elijah God commands me to confront the Ahabs of the day. But I am happy to stay out of sight and out of the way so that no one becomes contentious when I am near them. I have moved from place to place. I am glad I have not outstayed my welcome. Sometimes I cut short my stay when I sense those around me no longer welcomed me as before. Perhaps like Jeremiah, there is a part of my ministry as an assayer or tester of God's people. To test whether people are honest and true to their word and whether they act in love or in hypocrisy. Like Solomon in his old age and in wisdom he writes, "out of a thousand men, I found one man faithful, but none among women". Not that men are a great deal better than women because there are 999 men who are unfaithful. Only one is faithful and a true friend. I recently realised that it could be a reference to Solomon's 1000 wives and concubines whom none measured up to his expectations but Solomon's true love was the one Shulamite in the Song of Songs who was not his wife nor his concubine (that's my thesis in my SS commentary).