wells
I have become more interested in the history of my hometown of Basingstoke. Having lived here since 1970, I have seen it continually grow and change.
I enjoy looking at old photographs to see how things were, what has remained and what has been replaced.
Basingstoke had a lot of pubs and guest houses! You can still see evidence of old stables, where the horse drawn carriages, heading to and from London, would have stayed. There are still some beautiful old pubs in the town and in the surrounding area.
In the nearby village of Mapledurwell, stands the Gamekeepers, which has been an Inn since 1854, and before that a home. What is fascinating about this pub is that it is built on a well, which can be seen as you enter. The well would have provided fresh water for the inhabitants and guests.
I read something about wells in the book of Genesis recently…
“Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.”
The Philistines were the enemy of Isaac, and part of their military strategy was to block up the wells where he was living, the idea being to shut down his livelihood.
This area was a wilderness and so the water from the well was valuable and essential for life. Isaac re-dug and renamed them, and did not retaliate, which led to peace.
For Isaac, and other nomadic people of that time, when they moved somewhere, the first thing they did was to dig to find water. Once they had that, they could set up their camps.
If God is our ‘well of life’, or source, then it’s essential for our everyday living that we draw from Him regularly. We also need to guard against anything that may block this wellspring.
Let me encourage you to consider how you can connect meaningfully with God. What kind of rhythms and patterns can help you? If you know there are that are blocking this, then be proactive and deal with them, perhaps with some help from a trusted friend?
The Gamekeepers pub was built on a well. That means it would have been right in the heart of that home. Its position was central for life for all those who lived there.
Is God’s ‘well’ right at the centre of your life?
God bless you :)
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader