Joel M Bradshaw

23From there he went up to Beersheba. 24And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.” 25So he built an altar there and called upon the name of the LORD and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.–Genesis 26

Isaac was in an odd spot. His father was dead. There was another famine. He had just tried the same deception regarding his wife that his father once did with is own wife because he was afraid. He was rejected, but also oddly respected by the people around him. He had a troubling time holding onto the gains his father had secured. Isaac was married with two adult sons, but just in an awkward time in life.

It was at this point that God met with him. God calmed Isaac’s fears and gave him hope not only for his present, but for his future. The best thing God did here in my opinion is to remind Isaac that that he was indeed with him. He was not alone and was indeed continuing the famous legacy of his father Abraham.

I journey with friends who face depression. And many tell me that they feel lonely. One of the blessings I remind them is that they worship Immanuel, the God who is with us. I don’t know if Isaac felt lonely, but God still reminded him that he was not alone. My friends need to know that, as well. We may at times feel lonely, but it’s a wonderful self-talk reminder that as Christians we are never alone. That is a great arrow to put in your quiver and fire at your feelings when they need a dose of the biblical truth!–JMB