Love God Greatly - Faith Over Perfection预览

Read: Genesis 26:12–33

SOAP: Genesis 26:24

The LORD appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”

The Lord was surely with Isaac. As He had been with and blessed Abraham, God continued to be with and bless Isaac. The author of Genesis makes it clear to his audience that God had abundantly blessed Isaac beyond what he could have accomplished on his own. Those around Isaac knew God was with him. Isaac’s notoriety grew significantly as his wealth increased, and his reputation was such that the Philistines became jealous.

When Isaac needed to find new wells in the wilderness to settle the disputes with the Philistines, God continually provided. Over and over again Isaac’s servants found water, not because they knew where to look, but because God was with them. God’s intervention was in accordance with His covenant, to continually bless and make Isaac into a great nation. When Isaac persisted in faith, his enemies recognized that God was behind his great success.  

The Philistines and other surrounding nations had to acknowledge Isaac’s success and blessing from the Lord. Isaac was able to live in peace with the surrounding nations because of his faith. He believed God would provide for him, so whenever there was a dispute, he moved on. He knew God wanted him to live in peace with his neighbors and he trusted God to provide a way for him to do so. Even though his neighbors tried to ruin his success, he remained confident in God’s provision and continued to live peaceably among them.

When we live in peace with our neighbors, friends, and family, we proclaim God’s faithfulness. Peace does not mean the absence of conflict. It means when conflict does arise, we can trust God to meet our needs as well as the needs of our neighbors. When we offer forgiveness and grace, trusting God to be our defender, we are a testament to the world of His goodness and love. 

Prayer

God, You provide peace. I have nothing to fear because I know You are the God who defends me and offers peace. Help me live peaceably with those around me so I may be a testament to Your goodness and love. Amen.