What it means to make an impact

 “For now, the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.” Genesis 26:22

As the fellowship group at Lillias travels through the OT we have been “impacted” by the way God uses ordinary people to bring forth God’s plans for the generations. When we came to Isaac in the bible, it was easy for us to focus on the significant impact of his father Abraham and his son, Jacob and perhaps less on the impact his life had.

However, we were impacted by Issac as we read about how he embarked on the hard work of digging wells. Isaac uncovered the wells originally dug by his father Abraham in addition to digging his own well.

Wells brought a life source for herds people, travellers, and tribes – wells cultivated community. They were also symbolic of God’s provision for tribes and communities – a place to prompt thankfulness towards God as Isaac did when he and his helpers dug the well called Rehoboth “For now, the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”

Issac described the impact of this well as a “broad place” a place that would serve many and be fruitful.

Isaac trusted God for the impact.

Isaac invested his work in places of previous success and in new places.

Isaac praised God for the fruit that he believed would come from the labour of faith.

The metaphorical wells that are uncovered or excavated by the work of PFS serve as broad places of impact and encounter between prisoners and God, places of community, belonging and growth.

I am impacted every week that I spend at our broad place, I am impacted by the generosity of hospitality of the women who welcome me in, I am impacted by God’s faithfulness in the way our conversations unfold and the Holy Spirit pours healing into each of our hearts, I am impacted by the richness and depth of relationships that develop. I am impacted at how God demonstrates love and care for each of the women and uses ordinary people like PFS volunteers. 

Like Isaac let us trust God for the impact – with God there is always an impact and living out the truth of  “for now, the Lord has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.”