Genesis 26:17-22: a reflection

17Isaac departed from there, encamped in the valley of Gerar, and lived there. 18Isaac dug again the wells of water, which they had dug in the days of Abraham his father, for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. He called their names after the names by which his father had called them. 19Isaac’s servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of flowing water. 20The herdsmen of Gerar argued with Isaac’s herdsmen, saying, “The water is ours.” So he called the name of the well Esek, because they contended with him. 21They dug another well, and they argued over that, also. So he called its name Sitnah. 22He left that place, and dug another well. They didn’t argue over that one. So he called it Rehoboth. He said, “For now the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.”

As Isaac digs wells in the land, the herdsmen of Gerar quarrel with his herdsmen over the water, claiming it as their own. Isaac does not fight to keep the well; he moves on and digs another. When they quarrel over that one too, he moves on again, and digs a third, over which there is no dispute; and he names it Rehoboth, saying, For now the LORD has made room for us. Rather than contending and fighting over the wells, Isaac yielded and moved on, again and again, trusting God to make room for him, until at last there was a place without strife. His peaceable yielding, trusting God, brought him at last to the room God provided.

Notice Isaac's peaceable yielding rather than contending. He had a right to the wells his servants dug; yet when others quarreled and claimed them, he did not fight to hold his ground, but yielded, moving on to dig again. He chose peace over contention, trusting God rather than insisting on his rights. And in the end, God made room for him, giving him a place without strife. His willingness to yield rather than contend, to move on rather than fight, was not weakness but a trusting peaceableness; he trusted God to make room for him rather than seizing it by strife. And God did make room. The peaceable yielding, trusting God, was vindicated by the room God provided.

That is worth taking to heart, for there is a place for yielding rather than contending, trusting God to make room for us. When others quarrel with us, claim what is ours, contest our ground, we can fight to hold it, insisting on our rights and contending for every inch; but Isaac yielded and moved on, trusting God to make room, and God did. There is a peaceable yielding, trusting God, that is better than contending for every right. Do not always contend and fight to hold your ground when others quarrel with you; consider whether to yield and trust God to make room, as Isaac moved on and God gave him Rehoboth. Be willing to yield rather than contend for every right, trusting God to make room for you, as Isaac moved on from the contested wells until God gave him a place without strife; for there is a peaceable yielding that trusts God rather than fighting for every inch, and God can make room for us where we could not seize it by strife.

Lord, as Isaac digs wells in the land, the herdsmen of Gerar quarrel with his herdsmen over the water, claiming it as their own. Isaac does not fight to keep the well; he moves on and digs another. When they quarrel over that one too, he moves on again, and digs a third, over which there is no dispute; and he names it Rehoboth, saying, for now the LORD has made room for us. Rather than contending and fighting over the wells, Isaac yielded and moved on, trusting you to make room for him. Show me Isaac's peaceable yielding rather than contending. He had a right to the wells his servants dug; yet when others quarreled and claimed them, he did not fight to hold his ground, but yielded, moving on to dig again. He chose peace over contention, trusting you rather than insisting on his rights. And in the end, you made room for him. His willingness to yield rather than contend was not weakness but a trusting peaceableness; he trusted you to make room for him rather than seizing it by strife. And you did make room. Take that to my heart, for there is a place for yielding rather than contending, trusting you to make room for me. When others quarrel with me, claim what is mine, contest my ground, I can fight to hold it, insisting on my rights; but Isaac yielded and moved on, trusting you to make room, and you did. Keep me from always contending and fighting to hold my ground when others quarrel with me; help me consider whether to yield and trust you to make room, Lord, as Isaac moved on and you gave him Rehoboth, for there is a peaceable yielding that trusts you rather than fighting for every inch.