Is There Dirt In Your Well?

Read: Genesis 26:15

You may be thinking, “That’s an odd verse for a devotional.” And maybe it is, but it has a very important message hidden within it, if we’re willing to take a minute and search out all it has to offer.

Are you willing?

Here we go…

In the Middle East, water was an essential part of life. Of course, water still is essential for us today, but way back when, the need was more pronounced.

There were no Walmart’s stocked with cases of bottled water, ready for purchase.There were no rest stops along the highway where you could purchase a drink or snack.And in the desert, there was no easy way to get water unless you dug for it.In those days, well owners were a little territorial about their water supply. (So sharing was hit or miss.)

You get the picture. The success of your life – or, if you were in the livestock business – the success of your livelihood, depended on the well. If we read a few chapters back in Genesis, Abraham dug a lot of wells that the Philistines stole. But in Genesis 26, we see that Abraham’s son, Isaac, got those wells back.

…but not before the Philistines filled them with dirt. (Don’t you hate how spiteful people can be?) So, basically, if Isaac wanted to enjoy what his father had, he had to re-dig the wells.

There is a big lesson here for us.

In the Bible, water and/or wells speak of the Word of God. Jesus called Himself the Living Water, and every page of the Bible is filled with His presence. Reading the Bible, spending time with God and going to church draws us closer to Jesus. When we are close to Him, our lives draw refreshment from His presence…just like a cool glass of water refreshes us on a hot summer day.

But there are things in life that will come to take away your time with God. Maybe they aren’t bad things. For most of us, I would say the duties of life stack up rather quickly from day to day. Before we know it, instead of starting our day with Jesus the Living Water and asking Him for the strength to help us with our tasks…we’re letting dirt from the day pollute our perspective.

If I were to give you a glass of water with dirt in it, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t drink it, right? But if you did, I’m even more sure you wouldn’t feel good after downing the glass of murky liquid. Why? Because we weren’t made to drink it. Our bodies were made for pure water. Unpolluted from the junk of the world.

And you know what? Our spiritual lives are the same way. You get the same icky feeling every time something drags you away from your time with Christ. It’s like getting dirt in your water. You weren’t created to live your life without Him, or, more importantly, mixed with other things. Friends, we can’t live with a mixture of half Jesus and half world without feeling bad, empty and worn out.  (See James 4:4) Can I encourage you today? Don’t let the world put dirt in your well. Don’t let the world drag you away from Jesus.

Surrender everything to God. Be an ALL JESUS kind of person. Get the clear, cool water from the well. He will be what your thirsty soul is longing for. Fight to keep the dirt out of your well. Fight for your prayer life, your time in God’s Word and don’t let anything keep you away from being with your church family on Sunday morning. Create a life that’s surrounded by the refreshing springs of the Lord and you will be satisfied!