21 Days of Prayer & FastingSample

Dig Your Well

We've already spent some time discussing a well, reflecting on the passage in John 4. Wells held great significance in both the Old and New Testaments. They were a source of life, providing much-needed water, and were essential for survival in dry, rugged lands. Let's remember this was before the times of drains and plumbing!

Isaac, following God's instructions to remain in the land of the Philistines rather than going down to Egypt (a land where water was in abundance!), found some wells that his Father Abraham had dug a generation earlier. These wells had been left neglected and filled in by the neighbouring Philistines.

Just like when these physical wells—maintained and dug out properly sustain life, they also speak to a deeper spiritual truth. In the same way, the wells we dig today in prayer & fasting sustain and nourish our spiritual lives.

Whether they have a Christian heritage or not, it's a challenge for every believer to rely on something other than the spiritual wells dug by their family or spiritual mentors; this could be in the form of a life group leader or preacher. My challenge for you today, as you continue this 21 days of prayer and fasting, is to keep using that shovel to start (or maintain) your own well – through prayer, studying His Word, and meditating in His presence.

Just as we see God blessing Isaac's efforts as the story progresses in Genesis 26, God blesses our pursuit of a new and fresh relationship with Him—prayer becomes an act through which God's blessing flows into our lives.

Prayer is an active, ongoing pattern that taps into the wellspring of God's grace.

Just as Isaac faced challenges, we will encounter difficulties that might threaten to fill our wells with doubt or distractions. However, our persistence in prayer helps us clear away the obstacles, allowing the living water of God's presence to flow freely in our lives.

Isaiah 12:3 beautifully captures this concept: "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." When we actively engage in digging our spiritual wells, drawing from the well of God's presence and salvation becomes a joyous experience. The dirt is cleared, and the waters flow freely.

Our practice and patterned life of prayer make us like archaeologists of faith, unearthing treasures of hope, love, and deepening trust. Each prayer is a joyful excavation; the deeper we go, the richer our connection with God becomes.