In His Image
John 4
Read John 4:1-42
The Samaritan Woman's story from John 4:1-42 is remarkable. The first miracle was that Jesus talked to the Samaritan woman at all, for Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. Not only did Jesus, the Christ, talk to this woman, but he also asked her for a drink, which would have been unheard of in those times.
This woman knew she was in trouble...Relationally, her life was a mess. She had been married 5 times and was now living with a man who was not her husband. She probably had very few friends. She would probably have been mistrusted by women and joked about among men (think of how social media today would have spoken about her).
But Jesus looked at her -- really looked at her -- and talked to her as if she mattered, because to him, she did. Something about that gaze connected with her, because she came clean with him. She had no need to step out of the shadows for a stranger and reveal her life, but she revealed to Jesus that the man she was living with was not her husband. What a gift Christ gave her in letting her know that he was aware of this and all of the rest as well. If her offered her living water without ever revealing that he knew all the truth about her, perhaps she would have let his words of life bypass her, thinking, "if only you knew the truth about me". But he loved her enough to let her know, "i know it all, and I still love you." That unfamiliar and glorious gift changed her life so that, even as she was receiving it, she was running to tell the others the Good News.
Read John 4:39-42
The Samaritan woman put her faith in Jesus, who knew all about her faults yet still loved her and respected her. She responded to God's gracious forgiveness by immediately sharing her story with others. She told her neighbours about the Messiah, who had offered her a new life. As a result, many were blessed with the benefits of faith in Jesus Christ. As we experience the reality of Christ's love in our lives, it is important that we share the Good News with others. The message we share may be the difference between life and death for someone we know. And when we share our story, we will experience anew the great joy of knowing Christ.
Bible Verse
"We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life". 1 John 5:20, NIV
Prayer
Lord our God, we turn our faces to you and plead with you to come to us earthly people. May we find strength in the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom redemption is promised to us all. May your kingdom at last be revealed and everything change for the better even though we do not see it yet. May we always honour your name above all others, for you are our Father and we want to hold fast to your grace that lets us call you Father. In our troubled times we want to have enduring faith that you can bring a new time when good shall at last emerge from all the distress. Grant that every broken and needy person may experience your help, your grace, and your salvation, and may know that these always surround us, if only our eyes are open to see and recognise them. So we want to thank and praise you at all times, and at last know the joy of eternity, to your glory and honor. In Jesus name. Amen.
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