Lately my daily devotions have had me reading in John 4. This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. When I read about the Samaritan woman at the well I often have to chuckle.
I love the way the dialog flows. Jesus is thirsty. He asks for a drink (remember, he is the living water). She asks why he is even talking to her much less asking for something. Jesus then delivers one of those statements that just seem like a real conversation killer - "If you knew the gift of God and who is is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." I can imagine her just standing there looking at him with a blank look while her mind is wiping away all the parts of that statement that make no sense. Then she responds with something that makes complete sense. You have no bucket and the well is deep.
I love the way the dialog flows. Jesus is thirsty. He asks for a drink (remember, he is the living water). She asks why he is even talking to her much less asking for something. Jesus then delivers one of those statements that just seem like a real conversation killer - "If you knew the gift of God and who is is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." I can imagine her just standing there looking at him with a blank look while her mind is wiping away all the parts of that statement that make no sense. Then she responds with something that makes complete sense. You have no bucket and the well is deep.
Seems like there have been a few times in my life when the things that God is doing make no sense, like when I was working on my Masters degree in Civil Engineering and He called me to full time ministry; or the time that He called me to step away from a comfortable life, a good job and a successful ministry to something that He would reveal later; or the time that I wanted more than anything to step away from my job and my ministry and He wouldn't let me..... These are the deep wells that I have come across in my life, and I am sure there are many I have missed.
Jesus comes to me and asks something I don't understand. My initial response is to focus on the realities. The well is deep, and you my friend have no bucket. At least I have a bucket and a rope! Leave me alone and let me get on with my life.
Why do we think that God can't do what He says He will do? We like to sit in Sunday School and talk about how great God is, etc, etc. But in our lives, we stick to our bucket and our deep well. We don't seem to care that our bucket leaks and the well water is stale. We prefer those options to Jesus who offers a living spring, with water welling up to eternal life!
Right now, God has called us to join staff with eMi. That is a deep well in my life. There is a lot of support to be raised, and details to figure out. Part of me wants to just get out my leaky bucket, grab the longest rope I can find and get to work. Meanwhile, the creator of the universe stands before me - He offers a spring of living water.
He offers that water to you as well. I don't know what it is, but I am pretty sure you are looking into a deep well in your life right now. I encourage you to put that leaky bucket and long rope down, fall at the feet of your Savior and have a nice cool drink of living water.
No comments:
Post a Comment