From the Pastor's Pen
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The Pastor’s Pen
George Mc Connell September 2023
(Genesis 25:11) “And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi”.
I believe where we live or where we dwell is very important indeed. It can affect us economically, socially and spiritually. Where we dwell can indeed have a serious impact on each of our lives. It is important to choose wisely where we live, and set up home. What about Isaac and where he chose to dwell? Look at our text above.
“And Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.” After reading the above text, I was interested to find out if the name of the well Lahai-roi had any particular meaning behind it. So I went on a little investigation exercise and I am so glad I did. Names in God’s word often have great meanings behind them, and when I done a research on the well Lahai-roi, I found it had a wonderful meaning. The well Lahai-roi means, “The well of the Living One, who sees me.” What a name! What a great reminder for Isaac, every time he looks at this well he is always being reminded of “the Living One who sees me”. What a place for anyone to live and dwell. Lahai-roi is situated deep in the Negev desert. Although it seems a really godforsaken place, yet it is the very place where God saw Hagar, expecting and running in fear. It was at this very well where God met Hagar with a promise. “……I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it will not be numbered for multitude.” (Genesis 16:7-10)
Yes, Hagar found deliverance at this well, and Ishmael drank from it, where the Living One sees me. This well reminds us of the words of Psalm 33:13 “The Lord looketh down from Heaven; He beholdeth the sons of men.”
When we think of Hagar and Ishmael at this well of the Living One who sees me, we see them here as nothing more than a casual visit. They came and went from this well. It is so different from Isaac’s choice. Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai-roi.
As I have already said, this well is situated deep in the Negev desert. This reminds me of what I used to hear when people prayed in the prayer meeting concerning this world in which we live, they described it as a waste howling wilderness, quoted in Deuteronomy 32:10 describing the wilderness journey of the children of Israel. Yet the verse continues to say that as they, Israel/Jacob was being led through the wilderness it says, “He kept them as the apple of His eye.”
Why do many who profess to be Christians today seemed to be discouraged, downtrodden and despairing? Their walk with God seems to have slowed down or almost stopped.
I am not condemning them in any way, for always remember, there go I, but for the grace of God. Paul would remind us, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall…” (1st Corinthians 10:12) One of the main reasons is because they are not dwelling by the well Lahai-roi.
As we journey through this earthly pilgrimage, let us keep the well Lahai-roi close at hand. Day by day we need to be continually refreshed and uplifted as we journey through this life. A lesson I have personally learned as I am preparing this devotional and meditating on the text is this, how we need to live in the presence of the Living One daily and to have that sense of “Thou God seest me.” (Genesis 16:13)
This month, can I ask you a question? Are you dwelling by the well Lahai-roi? “Am I, living by the well of the Living One who sees me,” is the question I ask myself?
It was here by the well Lahai-roi where Isaac enjoyed fellowship with the Living God. Daily being reminded by this well, he is in the presence of the all Sovereign God.
How we need that comfort and assurance in our day and generation, in a world that seems to be out of control, when evil seems to be having the upper hand and maybe does, until God says “that is enough,” and in a day when it seems that the “Godly man ceaseth.” (Psalm 12:1) The best place to find this comfort and assurance is to dwell closely by the well Lahai-roi, and to be daily reminded, in this wilderness of a world, that we dwell in the presence of the Living One, who sees me.”
God Bless!
George.