"...but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14
The Story of the Samaritan Woman ( John 4)
With the heat of the midday sun directly on her skin, a Samaritan woman was drawing water from a well. She deliberately went there at such a time to avoid those people who were there earlier and the people who will be there later.
The reason? She knew people would just talk about her and would avoid her. After all, who wouldn't be - to a Samaritan adulteress like her, as she was called by her community, for having had more than one husband and now living with a man who's not her husband.
But she was not only hiding from these people, but also from the burden of guilt due to her situation. She's a woman at a lost and in pain, from the hurts of being cast out, of being with someone and yet being alone, of being guilty of something and yet having to face life and live it as normal as possible.
The Reality of Life
This is just one painful reality of life. If we would just listen, we'd hear many more painful stories caused by so many reasons. Whether you're living in a third world country or in a highly progressive one, no one is exempted.
All of us face daily battles in our lives, big ones and small ones. Loosing a loved one, being in financial difficulty, burdened by an overwhelming need, in sickness, in bondage and a thousand more that continue to keep us in chain. In all of these things, one still has to move on, to face the world, and sometimes to laugh with it even if what's inside is already broken and could not laugh anymore. Is there any hope?
The Answer
To continue with the story of the Samaritan woman, the Gospel of John, in chapter 4, tells us that the woman had finally found her peace. A man, came up to her and asked her for some water from that well, which surprised her. Someone was actually talking to her ! Probably he didn't knew her, she thought. But she was wrong. Although she had never seen that man before, she was amazed that he knew everything about her, even her inner self.
As they talked, she began to understand and hope was building up. And then she realized who He was. He's what she had been searching for all along. Someone who didn't condemn her but rather accepted her. Someone who told her everything she needed to know and had given her the strength to give up her life of sin and misery. It happened when she believed that He is the Messiah.
It was JESUS, Himself, who was talking to her and offered her to drink from the "water" that comes from Him, that would give her life. A life that may not be without these battles, trials and testings, but a life where one can rest, even in the midst of these storms. Finally, she was set free!
What About You ?
Friend, you may be in a difficult road right now. And you may think that you're all alone or that everything's hopeless.
This is the truth : JESUS came to "heal the brokenhearted", "to make the blind man see", "the lame to walk", "set captives free" and "release the prisoners". He came to save you and me, from the bondage of sin and guilt, from the prison of sickness, poverty, and many more.
He said in Matthew 11:28-30,
" Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. "
Let Him carry your burdens as He had carried His cross before. He died for you and me that He may restore us to Himself and enjoy the fullness of His blessings. If you'd like to come to Him now, just pray this simple prayer :
Lord JESUS, thank You for Your life that You had given to save me. Thank You for Your love that had always been there for me. I want to surrender to You my life now and let You carry my burdens. As I lay them down before You, I ask for Your forgiveness for all the sins that I have committed. I open my heart to You now and receive You in my life. Restore me now as I accept Your forgiveness and Your gift of salvation. I confess that You are now the Lord of my life and my Savior. Thank you, Lord. In your most precious name Lord JESUS CHRIST, this I pray. Amen.
If you have prayed this prayer, email us at goodnews@jiacommunity.org
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