Hi how are you all today? I am well. Over the weekend I attended the annual Christian writers conference in my country. It was held online and was really encouraging. How was your weekend?
This week I want to have a look at natural matters, spiritual solution. In particular I want to have a look at the woman at the well story in John 4. We are going to look at different verses from the Message Bible.
This story starts when Jesus and His disciples were travelling from the Judean countryside to Galilee. Verse 4 tells us that He had to go through Samaria. Was this the quickest route or did He feel compelled to go this way? From looking at a map it looks like it is the shortest way but probably not the way many Jews would have taken as they didn’t like Samaritans.
Verses 5 and 6 state that Jesus was tired and He sat by Jacob’s well while His disciples went to get lunch. Something strange was about to take place at this well. A Samaritan woman came to draw water.
Women did not draw water from a well at noon as it was too hot. They came early in the morning or late in the afternoon. This woman did not want to be seen or maybe was too ashamed or the subject of too much gossip. This will draw people away from us rather than too us.
In verse 8, Jesus asked the woman for a drink. This is a very natural request. The woman then questioned Jesus about why when He was a Jew and she a Samaritan. This was not the cultural norm.
But instead of Jesus answering her question, He turned the conversation to a spiritual one. He still spoke about water but a different type.
Jesus knew this woman was longing for connection and that her heart was dry. This conversation occurred between verses 10 to 15.
Our greatest heart desires are not met with natural remedies but with spiritual solutions.
Jesus came to offer us eternal solutions to our deepest needs but these solutions are not of this world but are heavenly. Our hearts long for love and connection with people but people disappoint us. Jesus offered us a relationship with Him that never disappoints.
In verse 16, Jesus again diverts the conversation. He can see the inner heart and longing of this woman is to be loved and cherished but now He needs to deal with what is holding her back- her shame and lack of self – worth. He tells her to go and get her husband.
She told Him in verse 17 that she didn’t have a husband and then Jesus delivers a word of knowledge to her. This woman has had five husbands and is now living with a sixth.
Jesus doesn’t call out our sin to shame us but to free us. But notice one thing about this woman. When He said this, she didn’t run off offended or yell at Him.
In verses 19 to 26, Jesus tells her about what is coming and what she can look forward to. That God is not only to be worshipped in Jerusalem but can be worshipped anywhere as long as the person has a heart of worship towards God.
I love this story because as we look at the progression we go from:
Natural water to
Spiritual water- where hers and our deepest longings can be satisfied to
Sin that is holding us back being exposed to
The remedy for sin which is a relationship with Jesus and worship of God.
These four steps are what every human deep in their hearts need to acknowledge and work through with God.
So what happened to this woman.
She left her water-pot by the well, threw off her shame, ran into town and told everyone about Jesus but not only that- that Jesus knew everything about her. She no longer had to hide because she had been exposed and set free.
This is what Jesus longs to do in our lives. He starts with the natural then prods until our sin is exposed and we are set free.
God is good and Jesus is amazing and the Holy Spirit is there ready to teach and comfort.
Let our lives be open so we can be set free. This week if you are hiding anything from God, just go to Him in prayer, let Him expose that root problem, heal it and set you free.
Until next week- have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
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