The Well

Genesis 29:1-3

Jacob returned his journey and went to the eastern country. He looked and saw a well in a field. Three flocks of sheep were lying there beside it because the sheep were watered from this well. A large stone covered the opening of the well. When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the opening of the well and water the sheep. The stone was then placed back on the well’s opening.

As I read this passage, I could not help but remember another stone that was rolled away. This stone, however, covered a tomb, rather than a well. When this stone was rolled away, the resurrected life of Jesus came forth. The stone in these verses was moved to provide water to refresh flocks of sheep who had gathered. As Jesus told the woman at the well, He provides living water that will cause you to thirst no more. The entire scene described here is very symbolic of Christ and how He provides for His people.

A well in the Old Testament is a foreshadowing of the church – the place where followers come to be nourished and refreshed on a regular basis. Wells or springs were valuable property and necessary for survival. Interestingly enough, Abraham’s servant found Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, coming to a spring to get water. This particular well that Jacob found in Genesis 29 is the very place where he met Rachel as she brought her father’s sheep to water them. I’m sure Rebekah and Rachel would agree that we find our destiny by going to the well regularly.

There is no telling how many times Rebekah went to that spring to draw water or Rachel took her father’s sheep to the well. Going to the well was just an ordinary, daily routine – a part of their lifestyle and who they were. One day, in the midst of their everyday service, God met them with a surprise, and their lives took a different route.  He caused destiny to cross their paths at the well.

You have a chance to draw from the well daily by going to God’s word and refreshing yourself with the life-giving water the Holy Spirit will give to you personally. You also have the chance to gather at the spring of worship on a regular basis by assembling in fellowship with God’s people. When you are being nourished and refreshed daily by God’s word and weekly by His church, you are right in the path where God can meet you with destiny. Never minimize or underestimate His willingness to meet you in your worn, ordinary paths of obedience. Your blessing and your destiny await in your routine acts of service and worship. Don’t miss your chance to go to the well today. You never know what God may have waiting there for you!

Have a blessed day!