See Him Smile

Listen to this question the Samaritan woman asks (John 4 v.20) “Where is God? My people say he is on mountain Gerizim. Your people say he is in Jerusalem. I don’t know where he is.” I love to imagine the expression on Jesus’ face when he heard these words. Did His eyes water? Did He smile? Did He look up and wink at His Father?

Just think. Of all the places to find a hungry heart – Samaria? Of all the people to be searching for God – a woman? Of all the people to have an insatiable appetite for God – a five-time divorcee? Of all the people the most “insignificant” person in the region? And of all the people to receive the secret of the ages, an outcast among outcasts? (John 4 v. 26)

It is remarkable that Jesus revealed the secret of the ages – his identity – in the shade of a well, in a rejected land, to an ostracized woman. His eyes must have danced with pure love and joy as he whispered the secret — “I am the Messiah.”

breach the gap

• Jesus took the first step to breach the gap between Samaritan woman and himself in an effort to offer her that which she lacks Jesus made the first move by asking the Samaritan woman for some water.

From there he took it slowly to more serious issues – spiritual stuff.

She was indifferent to spiritual issues, at least initially. To this woman, the lowest of the low, Jesus’ brought the message – “It does not matter to me how much of a failure you are in people’s eyes, you can still have the living water.”

Jesus offers her living water as a gift – a spiritual gift. The original word for “living” can also mean “running,” so it’s easy to see why she easily misunderstands his offer and becomes flippant and even cynical in her response and mocks him about both of his claims. “How are you going to get this water? You don’t even have a bucket!” and “Who do think you are–better than Jacob –our Father?”

Jesus offers her living water which refers to the gift of a personal relationship with God through the indwelling of his Holy Spirit–the gift that Jesus has come to make available to us. However the woman thinks, “if it’ll save me a trip out here daily, I’ll take it.”

Overcome your inhibitions for God’s Kingdom sake and take the first step forward.

related post links 

Reaching out to Christians –http://travancoreann.blogspot.com/2009/11/reaching-out-to-christians.html

 Samaritan flaskback –http://travancoreann.blogspot.com/2009/11/samaritan-flashback.html

unpopular route

• Jesus took the unpopular route to Samaria, John 4.3

The rabbis taught it was ritually defiling to touch a Samaritan or any utensil handled by a Samaritan. Since Samaria lay between Galilee and Judea , pious Jews normally walked the 20+ extra miles around Samaria rather than go through it.

We too must be willing to walk paths that are not often trod to reach out. Thru his Good Samaritan’s parable Jesus urges every disciple of his to reach out to nominal Christians with love and concern.

http://travancoreann.blogspot.com/2009/11/reaching-out-to-christians.html use this link to go to the original master post – – Reaching Out to Christians. this and some other following posts are small postcripts. read more