Day 3: Digging the Wells

After forming a treaty with Abimelech, Abraham shared a grievance he had against Abimelech’s servants for stealing his wells. This was the first Abimelech had heard about this. The Philistine leader thought it was a simple transaction, but it would have a long-term effect on Abraham and his descendants.

Abraham’s wells, which were dug along his journey, acted as landmarks. They marked pivotal points throughout the journey. Abraham reclaimed ownership of his wells and named the one they were standing near Beersheba, meaning “well of the oath.” This well of oath between Abraham and Abimelech would end up being the very place in which God would visit Isaac and renew the covenant he had made with Abraham.

In claiming his wells, Abraham was pioneering faith for his family. These were not ordinary wells; they were generational wells.

I believe Abraham has become the father of faith, not because he got everything right, never erred, and always surrendered full control to God. He is a symbol of faith because his journey shows us the times when we are uncertain of God’s work and the times when we search for the assuring presence of a God who appears not to care about our lives.

I often wonder how individuals in Hebrews, praised for their faith, would feel about or respond to the accolades we’ve given them. I imagine they might chuckle and say, If only having faith was that simple. That only scratches the surface of my story. Perhaps it would surprise them, and they would say, I never expected this. I was only surviving. Or maybe they would cry tears of joy and say, Wow, everything I experienced really was worth it. What I considered mundane mattered.

How redemptive it must be to see that the life you lived on earth became a source of inspiration for someone who never met you. I can imagine the great cloud of witnesses looking down on us now, jumping in anticipation and shouting from the top of their lungs: It’s all true! We were right about God all along! Just wait until you see Him! Just wait and you will see what it all was for! Please endure and don’t abandon hope! Despite the difficulty, it pays off!

How resounding their “amens” must be to Paul’s words:

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Cor. 4:17).

“…what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later” (Rom. 8:18).

The father of faith was no stranger to scarcity, struggle, or sacrifice. Abraham left the comforts of his homeland to become a sojourner. We can learn from his journey to trust God’s sufficiency, be a good steward, and sacrifice without knowing the outcome.

We see the aftermath of Abraham’s faith, but for him, it was moment by moment. We see how God providing the ram in Isaac’s place foreshadowed God sending Jesus to take our place, but for Abraham, he trusted God when it made little sense. When all the pieces were scattered, Abraham put his trust in God. Today, we are living testaments that his obedience was not in vain.

Reflection Questions:

1. Are there wells you need to reclaim for your family?

2. Have you considered how your faith will impact the next generation?