Wednesday, November 6, 2013

John 4:41

As a result many more townspeople put their faith in Jesus Christ, because of the things he shared with them. John 4:41 EFP

What a perfect way to wind up this story.  Two days prior a solitary woman walks under the hot sun to draw water from the city well.  She is alone in more ways than one.  She is marginalized by the community and ostracized by the local women as a result some poor life choices.  Her life is as barren and parched as the Palestinian hills that surround her, with a horizon that looks desolate and offers little hope of change.

Now, two days later, she stands in the midst of the greatest revival in the history of Samaria.  The hamlet known best for the well dug by Jacob millennia past, now can lay claim to a visit from the Messiah as its greatest moment.  The least likely becomes the most fruitful evangelist.  The life-loser becomes the channel for life to her entire community.  She is the messenger—an angel to her people, and in spite of her checkered past she is emboldened by the words she hears from the stranger, who she now believes is the Messiah.

Now, two days later, her initial words of passionate appeal to “come see the man who told me everything” have faded and given way to an even stronger chorus of faith and fidelity by the townspeople who have come to believe in the one who sent her and who in turn sent them to meet the Master.  What a transformation.  The embattled becomes emboldened.  The fringe player becomes a fighter for the cause of Christ.  She drank the water—Living water from the author of life.  I need and want to be where the woman was when she felt the compelling desire to seek out her people.  I pray my words, personal or from the pulpit, cause many others to seek out Jesus and come to believe in the Jesus who has done everything possible to seek and save me.

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