Life often feels like feast or famine. Either you’ve got all the time in the world, or you’re running out of time and racing the clock. Either you’re a little ahead on your bills, or you’re digging for change in the sofa to cover a bill. Either things are good between you and your spouse, or you get frostbite from the icy chill between the two of you. Either your attitude is rising to glorious heights, or it’s dropping in sickening free fall. Like a roller coaster, we are tossed high and low, to and fro, by the feast and famine times of life.
Isaac goes through many ups and downs In Genesis chapter 26. He goes from literal famine (v.1) to a time of great abundance (v.12-14.) He moves from exercising deceit (v.7) to exercising integrity (v.16-33.) On top of all that, Isaac’s son, Esau, is making his life difficult and bitter. (v.35.)
But despite all of Isaac’s ups and downs, God never abandons him. God continues to be a Participator in Isaac’s life. Good or bad, God is there, faithfully revealing Himself to Issac and guiding him through all the twists and turns of his uncertain life.
The same can be said for us. Whether in feast of famine, God continues to be present and participate in our lives. The problem is, we’re often too busy basking in the feast or scrambling in the famine to notice His presence or participation.
How much more assured and peaceful we would be if we just looked for God’s presence and participation in both our feast and famine times?
Bret Legg is the Teaching and Counseling Pastor at Warren Baptist Church in Augusta, GA.