See You at the Well

In the beginning of our spiritual heritage Abram and Jacob and others built an altar of sacrifice in order to meet with God. The altar at Bethel and Shechem were places where God met with them, renewed the covenant and instructed them. Later in the places of these altars, wells for drinking were dug for the weary traveler. Around these wells, communities rose up and the well was the gathering place.

How appropriate that people gathered at the well where life was sustained and refreshed. Today we don’t need to go to wells to get water; it flows freely through our faucets. But the habit of gathering was established and continued throughout the Old Testament and New Testament church. Is it possible God knows something about us that we don’t? God establishes patterns of behavior for a reason.

People gathered to pray, to fellowship, to break bread, and to worship. People gathered to wait on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. People gathered to celebrate the Sabbath and the goodness of the Lord. People gathered to learn and share their lives with others.

There is power in the gathering of people to worship and seek the Lord. We see that power when Peter and Silas were delivered from jail by the hand of the Lord in Acts in response to the church praying.

Is it possible that we’re relying too heavily on the faucets of our own self-sufficiency instead of gathering at the well? There’s a time to build a personal altar of worship and another time to gather together with the Body of Christ to celebrate, worship, pray, rejoice or mourn and receive instruction, inspiration, and inner renewal.

Let’s leave the faucet of the comforts of our home to gather at the well – together. See you at the well…

Psalm 122:1 “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” Our Feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!