Tarry Still

SERMON BY BRO. TAMBARI BENSON

TOPIC:  TARRY STILL 

TEXT: Gen. 26:16-25; 26-31

DEFINITION OF THE KEY WORDS

TARRY: means to delay or to be tardy in acting or doing. To linger in expectation: wait (Merriam Webster).

STILL: means devoid of or abstaining from motion (movement ) (MWD)

INTRODUCTION

The verse of our text is verse 22 which says ‘’and he move from thence and dug another well; and for that they did not quarrel; and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, for now the Lord hath made room for us and we shall be fruitful in the land. Often time people respond differently to seemingly great opposition, conflict and oppression. Some give up to quickly and easily while others option to fight back fiercely to defend their rights. Neither of these is always the right approach.

BODY OF THE LESSON    

Isaac was by no means a coward; he was a realist. The odds were overwhelmingly against him when he pitched against the more  populous people of Gerar. Twice he dug a well and found water  and each time, the herdsmen of Gerar  fought him and claimed the wells. Strikingly each time also, Isaac moved farther away from them and began prospecting all over.

By the third attempt when he struck water, his enemy had got tired of fighting to claim his property. Even when he could have fought back, Isaac took his predicament philosophically, giving striking names to the wells he successfully dug.
He called the first Esek meaning, the well  of argument. The second he named Sitnah, the well of anger. And the third was called Rehoboth ,  which mean the well where there was room enough for us at last. He believed that it was the Lord who had made room for him and his family. And soon enough the Lord appear to reassure him that he would bless him abundantly.

LESSON TO LEARN

• It is not every time that must stand to claim our rights. More appropriately, we must be prepared to cede our rights if that will make for peaceful co-existence, trusting God to grant to us favour or subdue our opposers.  
• We must ask Him for the wisdom to know when to withdraw and when to stand up and fight for what rightly belongs to us.
• We must however tow the line of social agitators who will never give up their rights. Meanwhile, in whatever rightful venture we are engaged, we must persist. Even, when the road is strewn with thorns and opposition. 

When we persist long enough, and remain on the track of righteousness, in due course, we shall succeed.

NOTE: Those who give up easily in the face of opposition, cede their posterity to others, because quitters never win and winners never quit. (26-29)

HOW TO DEAL WITH OUR PERSONAL HERDSMEN

The ‘’Herdsmen’’ are the ungodly adversaries using spiritual or physical violence to take your wells of water, your right or inheritance from you (VS 19-22)

1. Always seek the part of peace (VS 17:22; Heb. 12:14)
2. Avoid physical combat with your ‘’Herdsmen’’ (VS. 20,21.)
3. Even when it appears your personal right is trampled upon, never yield to the temptation of fire for violence (VS. 19,22) Remember Naboth and Ahab.

The greatest weapon against your ‘’Herdsmen’’ are the spiritual weapons (Eph. 6:10-18) Isaac, being a man of prayer, must have used this weapon and it worked for him (VS. 22-25)
Observe that even though Isaac approach is unpopularly difficult for an unconvented  believer, God was pleased with him (VS. 24,25)

New Testament example of Isaac’s principle

• Jesus Christ – (Matt. 26:51-53; Gen. 9:6; Rev. 13:10)
• Stephen – (Acts 7:57-60)

CONCLUSION

We shall conclude by singing from our hymn book song of the church- number   724.