One of my favorite stories in the Bible is found in the book of John ... actually, several of my favorite stories are found in John. I told the ladies last weekend at the event where I spoke that I spent several months studying the book of John after I was saved. I can't remember now who told me I should do that, but I sure am glad that at least for once in my life, I did what I was told to do. You see, John had a gift for recounting events and sharing stories ... a divine gift I would say. So back to the story, the one that is one of my favorites. It's found in John chapter 4, and I'm sure many of you already know the story ... it's known as the story of the woman at the well.
The condensed version of the story goes like this ... Jesus and His disciples were traveling through Samaria, and Jesus was tired from the journey and decided to rest by the well. While He was kicked backed relaxing in the middle of the day under a palm tree (that's what I imagine He was doing anyway), this Samaritan woman came along with her waterpot to draw water from the well. Now there was a reason why this gal came to the well by herself in the heat of the day and not in the morning with the other chicks from town. She didn't fit in with the other women; in fact, she was scorned by them because of the way she lived. She had been married five times and was currently shacking up with a guy she wasn't married to. She came to the well in the middle of the day because she couldn't bear the gossip and stares and condemnation of the other women. Since she was accustomed to being rejected and ostracized by her own people, I can only imagine how surprised she must have been when Jesus struck up a conversation with her. You see, men didn't talk to women in such settings back then, and a Jewish man certainly didn't talk to a Samaritan woman. Jesus draws the woman into conversation, tells her that He knows all about her, tells her He is the Messiah, and tells her about living water.
You should read the story in its entirety ... you can't read that story and come away without a picture of what Jesus was really all about ... compassion, acceptance and forgiveness. Jesus did three really important things in the short time He conversed with the woman at the well. He reversed the norms of society by talking with a woman from Samaria ... that was socially unacceptable behavior. He recognized the woman's need ... He told her He knew who she really was and about the sin in her life. He restored her relationship to God by revealing His identity and offering her forgiveness and salvation. The story ends with the woman racing back to town to tell the men (my guess is she was more popular with the men than the women ... hmmm ... think about that for a minute) that she had met the Messiah and that He had given her living water. At a time in her life when she was trying to hide away from the rejection of the other women and from what she knew was the truth about herself, that's when Jesus stepped in and rocked her world. Yep, I really do love the story of the woman at the well.
I don't believe there are many, if indeed any, coincidences in life for those of us who are believers. I do believe that there are God encounters in every step we take if we care to look for Him in all things and all situations and all circumstances. Therefore, I believe it was very much a God thing that the name of the place where I spoke last weekend was The Well ... an incredible venue for sure; a huge Christian bookstore on the first floor and an amazing conference center on the second floor. I used the story of the woman at the well as one of my examples when I spoke, and all week, I haven't been able to get the story out of my mind. Those of you who read this blog regularly know what that means ... yep, God had a gigantic lesson for me about the heat of the day and wells and thirst and need and surrender and forgiveness and acceptance. See, here's the thing ... I needed to go to The Well last Saturday ... I needed to understand anew that Jesus loves me no matter what I've done or who I am or where I've been or where I'm going. I needed to know that He sees me ... He really sees me ... He sees the me that no one else sees ... He knows the me that no one else knows ... He talks to the me that no one else talks to ... He loves the me that no one else loves.
"Jesus answered and said to her, 'Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give Him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.'" John 4:13-14.
1 comment:
the me that no one else loves...i think we all have a little me inside of us like that. :) funny thing is that usually when we finally have the courage to share that little part of me with others, we find out that they in fact STILL love us, or love us despite that part of me, or however one chooses to phrase it.
if its real :) if its really truly love, i truly believe that that love always wins the day. that is how god triumphs over satan. in the end, its always love.
satan wants us to give up on ourselves and others who have wounded us. he plants seeds of anger or doubt within us, persuades us to pull away. god doesn't do that when the going gets rough.
god tells us to stick it out with that person. til death do us part or something to that effect?
point is, that little me might shock or disappoint or confuse or even evoke an initial resentment or anger in those even closest to us. but when it gets down to it, truly NOTHING can separate us from God, or those who truly call us friend. :)
xoxo aunt jo. :) love ya love ya! :)
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