WELL-WAITING
Genesis 29:7-10 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them. And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep. And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep: for she kept them. And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
About two thousand years ago it was high day in the world of God’s creation. On a hilltop called Mt. Olive, Jesus, having rolled the stone of death from the well of life giving water, watered the flock; the flock of His mother’s brother, the sin-sick world. The water is offered freely to all who draw near. Once the stone had been rolled from the tomb, there was no putting it back. Neither is there an account of Jacob putting back the stone. Isn’t the Word of God amazing in its truth, conformity, and validation of every tenet of our faith?
How many people wait at the covered well? A covered well is a symbol of impending death. There is no hope in it. Who can live on the water in a well that lies under the stone of death? How many people are dying beside the covered well? How many of us look on those beside the covered well and walk on by?
Do you suppose Jacob stopped at the well because of the strangeness of the sight? Jacob could not ascertain any good reason for those at the well to sit and do nothing. A well is for watering. A well is for life. In their wait for “they” the flock was already dead. Without someone to roll the cover from the well the flock might as well curl up and die. Those near the well had no strength, desire, or ability to open the well. They waited on someone else. They could have waited until too late. It was already past watering time. Not only was the flock dying from thirst, but it was also hungry. Look at all the people in and around your life. How many are hungry and thirsty waiting near death when a way to life is near?
Jacob was a deceiver. Like us he knew the affect of sin and bore sin’s scars in his life. God sends imperfect servants to imperfect people. There is no better testament for the gospel of Christ than an imperfect servant doing God’s perfect will.
Did Jesus command us to go out and bring others to church? Did he command us to lead them to someone else? Did Jacob sit down with the thirsty and wait for “they”? Should he have offered encouragement or given a motivating speech about getting the best from a bad situation? Every Sunday the church doors open and the gospel is preached. Well-waiting has become a staple with the lost and saved. Sunday has become the day to put off what should happen today. Many lost will say they’ll attend church and never walk through the doors. We let them make the excuse and we cover our mouths. What do we do? How about those who don’t even know where the well is or that there is a well?
Consider the gift which God has given. With everlasting life God imparts to us the Holy Spirit. God gave us Jesus and made a way, he gives us the Holy Spirit to show the way. Each believer has been to the open well and received the water of life. When we receive the Holy Spirit we receive within us the wellspring of life. We become, in effect, walking, talking, wells of life giving water. When we keep our mouth’s covered with the flesh of our lips and neglect to speak the gospel as Jesus commanded, those round about us suffer the greatest injury; the injury of delay. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.), II Corinthians 6:2. Many use this verse to encourage the lost not to delay. Yet, more than an admonition to the lost and dying, in context, it’s an admonition to the saints. There should be no delay in presenting the gospel. It is the ministry of every saint.
Sunday is a day of rest. Yet, we expect the Holy Spirit to do most of His work on that day. We think of doing God’s work on Sunday and little if anything the rest of the week. Do we dishonor the Holy day?
Jacob saw a bad situation. He had compassion for his future wife. The stone was her undoing. To prove the love of his demanding heart he removed the stone without delay. Have we any such love?
God saw a bad situation. Jesus had compassion for us. Sin and death is our undoing. To prove his love Christ paid the price of our sin and rolled away the stone of death. Have we any such love?
Every morning we should pray the stone isn’t put back on our mouths. Not only is it a well, but a well-spring fountain of hope. It’s not a drawing well, but a giving well. Imagine the classic well with its circular stone enclosure but instead of a bucket on a wood frame the water shoots upward and out under pressure.
The world doesn’t have to wait any longer. Jesus said to go. It isn’t the time or place for saints to be waiting around. We shouldn’t wait for someone else to act on our behalf.
Jacob was a man of action. Jacob was blessed.
Love demands action, love doesn’t wait.
