Welcome. This is our fourth stop, and as I look over our journey, something emerges.
When we encounter Jesus: each time you read, pause, go away to a 'closet' place to be -- Jesus steps out from our hazy ideas to a become a solid, real Presence and Person who has much to offer our hungry, thirsty hearts.
word & truth
Our first stop was a well, a most natural spot to quench our thirst.
In John 4, we have a record of a woman who went to a physical well and met the Spring of Living Water himself. Her story shows us the transforming power of a heart-set-free: she had come to the well at noon to avoid the town gossips, to just get her water and go. Her life was far from alright; she has been in a string of relationships where rejection and desertion has been the theme {over the years, I have met many women who indeed live with such themes. So real-ly painful}.
Yet -
after Jesus reaches into her heart, she leaves that well and announces to her fellow villagers - the same people she wants to avoid - that "he told me everything about my life". What a strange thing to say. Unlike anything or anyone she has ever met or known, Jesus' chat with her was so filled with truth and acceptance that she felt he embraced her life so that now her story is no longer one that needs to be hidden.
Jesus helped her see her life in a whole new light; so that she is now able to claim her life and be at peace with it. Her life is not a fearful, foregone conclusion, but a faith-refreshed, forward possibility.
She found the water that reached deep into her parched, desperate soul. As she is deeply refreshed, it begins to spring forth to refresh others ~
When we encounter Jesus: each time you read, pause, go away to a 'closet' place to be -- Jesus steps out from our hazy ideas to a become a solid, real Presence and Person who has much to offer our hungry, thirsty hearts.
word & truth
Our first stop was a well, a most natural spot to quench our thirst.
In John 4, we have a record of a woman who went to a physical well and met the Spring of Living Water himself. Her story shows us the transforming power of a heart-set-free: she had come to the well at noon to avoid the town gossips, to just get her water and go. Her life was far from alright; she has been in a string of relationships where rejection and desertion has been the theme {over the years, I have met many women who indeed live with such themes. So real-ly painful}.
Yet -
after Jesus reaches into her heart, she leaves that well and announces to her fellow villagers - the same people she wants to avoid - that "he told me everything about my life". What a strange thing to say. Unlike anything or anyone she has ever met or known, Jesus' chat with her was so filled with truth and acceptance that she felt he embraced her life so that now her story is no longer one that needs to be hidden.
Jesus helped her see her life in a whole new light; so that she is now able to claim her life and be at peace with it. Her life is not a fearful, foregone conclusion, but a faith-refreshed, forward possibility.
She found the water that reached deep into her parched, desperate soul. As she is deeply refreshed, it begins to spring forth to refresh others ~
"Come see a man who told me all the things that I have done, this is not the Christ is it?"
John 4v29
your truth
How has this journey been? I am recently keenly aware that my questions and struggles signal that there are bits of my life I am not at peace with.
Perhaps you too need not fear taking your long list of pains, regrets and questions to Jesus. You may even beat about the bush like the woman at the well did; talking about history and theology...but Jesus will lovingly and firmly lead the conversation to its heart.
At some point, when we get to our desperation and humbly acknowledge it, "give me this water.." Jesus may well ask us the one question that cuts through everything and lifts the fog -- so we can see why peace escapes us.
We can then gaze long into the eyes of the Prince of peace and feel his peace flood our beings, our sense of confidence, worth, and destiny refreshed...and indeed, long to refresh others.
more truth with community
As you take time these few days to sit with Jesus, anticipate refreshment! Please share your experience with us. We would be so encouraged to hear your story!
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