Rediscovering God's Blessings

A man and his wife were walking in a crowd. The husband delighted his wife by taking her had. She asked, “You don’t want to lose me?” He replied, “I don’t want to have to look for you.” Hodgin, Michael. 1001 Humorous Illustrations # 824 P.312.

Isn’t that the way we are? We don’t want to have to do anything for God’s blessing. God, just lay it in us!

“Then Isaac departed from there and pitched his tent in the Valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. 18And Isaac dug again the wells of water which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham. He called them by the names which his father had called them.” Gen. 26:17:18

I. God’s blessings often must be evoked.

These were the same wells Abraham had dug. They didn’t just start digging and hoped for water. They had to remember where the wells were. We have a memory problem. We forget that God wants to bless us if we will allow Him. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11. Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” Could our problem be that we are not experiencing His blessing because we are not depending on the Holy Spirit to remind us, and thus far He hasn’t.

We need to remember that our circumstances are not an indication of God’s love. He has proven His love at the cross.

Try to imagine what Isaac was feeling at this moment. There was a shortage of everything (famine vs.1). Isaac wants to go to Egypt, God says no; stay where you are until I tell you where to go. Isaac stayed, sowed and reaped 100 fold. Isaac is thinking, God is good. Then out of nowhere, Ambimelech runs him off. He is looking for a place to live, to eat, etc. I wonder, at that moment was he doubting God’s love, God’s commitment to him? And then see God gently remind Isaac of His provision. “Your father’s wells” God gently whispered.

That is us. We forget the love of God! Our memory needs to be evoked.

II. God’s blessings often must be explored.

Once they remembered the wells, they had to look for them. The wells just didn’t pop up. Effort was made to remember exactly where they were, and to find them.

There is a story of a family unpacking at their new home. After finishing unpacking they realized that their dog was missing. Concerned that she couldn’t find her way back home in such unfamiliar surroundings, they all loaded in the car to search for her. They drove around and around with no luck. Not far from their house there was a man sitting on a porch. They stopped and asked if he had seen their dog. He said, “Yes, she has been following you car for the last 10 minutes.” Hodgin, Michael. 1001 More Humorous Illustrations. # 682 p. 242.

Sometimes in looking for God’s blessing we overlook the obvious.

Have you ever gone back to find something you left years ago? Things have a way of changing. Weeds grow, trees grow, and things change. I went and visited where I lived as a boy 15 years ago. Things change. Isaac had to remember. And then he had to search and explore to find the wells.

We often think that God’s blessing should just pop up. Some do! More often than not though God asks us to look for them. God has strategically placed His blessings where we could find them if we are listening to Him. God wants us to remember that He loves us and wants to bless our lives. This should motivate us to seek our His blessings.

III. God’s blessings often must be excavated.

After they remembered, and then searched and found the well, there was still work to be done. They weren’t satisfied yet. Can you imagine needing water and finding a well and stopping at this point? Saying, “well we have done our part. Our job is over.” Can you see yourself becoming comfortable or complacent? Or would you become discouraged when the well is filled with dirt. You cannot forget that the Philistines had filled them with dirt. They have the source of water, but who wants to work to get it? We often do this. Our marriages for instance. We know that our spouse is a gift from God. We know that we love them and they love us. However, every marriage runs into the wall. A time where the honeymoon is over and the work truly begins.