More Than One Well

“Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” (Isa 12:3 AV)

The context is the reality of God’s anger being turned once He has finished correcting wayward Israel and Judah.  The writer prophesies there will come a day when the LORD’s anger is turned from the people of God resulting in their restoration to the land and reconciliation back to the LORD.  In that day, there will be great joy.  In that day, the people of God will realize who Christ is and their need for salvation.  In that day, the people will draw water from the wells of salvation.  In the Bible, wells of water depict life.  In the gospel of John, Jesus tells the woman at the well the water of the world will only satisfy as long as the person has breath in their lungs.  Once they pass, this water will cease to refresh.  Only Christ is that living water which springs forth into everlasting life.  What we need to consider this morning is the plurality of the wells.  Salvation is not just one well.  It is many wells.  Wells that run deep and are equally refreshing. 

City folk, and most country folk, are not acclimated to the true worth of a well.  For those whose water supply is a well, generally, it is dug and the house is built relatively close to where the well was found.  If that well dries up, then another is dug.  If there are no wet wells, then a system of cisterns is used.  For the most part, there is only one well at a time.  Mostly because that is all there needs to be.  However, a cattleman knows the true worth of multiple wells.  Although here in the United States, wells are not the means of watering cattle, there are still multiple sources for water.  One of the properties I hunted was an old cattle ranch converted to crops.  On that property of about 600 acres was no less than four watering holes.  We might call them ponds.  There were very small.   Perhaps twice or three times the size of a kiddy pool, these watering holes were dug at a spot where underwater springs were found.  These watering holes never ran dry.  No matter how hot and dry the weather, these watering holes remained.  No matter where the cattle were at any given time, a watering hole was never more than a few hundred yards away.  No matter what their journey required, there was always a watering hole close by.  Each hole had its own characteristics.  There was one which was set back just off the pasture in a small patch of woods.  There was another that was set in lush green grass.  Still, another was way out in the open with one line of small trees surrounding it.  There was one that ran very deep.  Another was not so deep.  There was one that was a small pond with fish in it.  Each served its purpose and need for the cattle that depended on it.

Salvation is not one well.  It is not merely the well of heaven.  This is like the above hole mentioned that had fish in it.  The cleanest of them all, much larger than the rest, set on a hill of mowed grass.  The other, although not nearly as pristine, were still equally refreshing.  We do not have to wait until glory to enjoy the wells of salvation.  There is the well of comfort found in salvation.  There is the well of forgiveness granted at salvation.  There is the well of the word of God which was opened to us at salvation.  There are the wells of fellowship with one another and with the LORD which were bestowed at salvation.  And there is the well of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which came upon us the moment Christ saved us.  Salvation is not a one pony show.  We do not have to wait on our heavenly home-going to enjoy the blessings which salvation in Christ brings.  These wells appear along life’s journey are provided for our health and enjoyment.  We are to live out our salvation with fear and trembling.  We are to experience the water that never fails.  We are to take a drink, long and deep, so the blessing of being a child of God can more than sustain us.  These wells of salvation are necessary.  But they are also a pleasure.