Happy Monday!
It’s the final week of our Women’s History Month, featuring women from the Bible. During our voting, today’s woman came in second place behind Esther. Before I reveal her, check out today’s theme: When others shy away as you struggle, Jesus always shows up.
Today’s devotion features the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. Her story serves as a precious reminder that Jesus steps in the middle of our mess to bring us a message of hope and freedom.
The story begins at midday when the woman arrives at the well where Jesus waits. He made a special trip to Samaria to see her, even though other Jews avoided her people like a teen boy avoids showers.
Their conversation begins when Jesus asks for water. She's surprised! A Jewish rabbi speaking to her? Some Jewish rabbis didn’t talk to their wives or daughters outside of the home. Yet, Jesus struck up a conversation. As they talked, he revealed that he knew what was happening in her life, namely, her five husbands and the man she's living with outside of marriage.
While the text doesn’t give us insight into the woman's thoughts, chances are she didn’t grow up thinking, “I want to have five husbands and have everyone in town avoid me because they think I’m a terrible human.”
We don't know her backstory, but she was alone, and Jesus came to help her. One of the hardest feelings is being talked about but not cared for.
He didn't shame the woman; instead, he offered her a gift. Here’s my favorite verse:
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” -John 4:10 NLT
f only you knew the gift God has for you...such powerful words! That woman probably hadn't received a gift in a long time. When someone offers you a gift, do you say, “Oh, thank you!” or “Oh, you shouldn't have given that to me!”? Too often, we don’t like to accept a gift because we don’t feel we deserve it.
God has an abundance of gifts because those gifts flow from the abundance of who He is. Like the Samaritan woman, too many women don’t think they deserve it. Here’s what God wants you to experience, dear friend:
If you only knew the gift of unconditional love God wants to give you every day.
If you only knew the gift of complete and total freedom God offers you every day.
If you only knew the gift of hope God wants to give you each day.
If you only knew the gift of peace God wants to give you every day.
REFLECTION: Which of these gifts don’t feel deserved?
I suspect that when we arrive in heaven, God will show us everything He has been waiting for us, but we kept too busy trying to be good Christians to receive it. We attempt to earn God's gift by cleaning up our lives, trying to be a better Christian, or making sure we don’t miss church. Yet, notice what Jesus says:
“...You would ask me, and I would GIVE you living water.” -John 4:10 NLT
Yes, it’s good for us to study our Bibles, go to church, read devotions like Happy Monday, but let’s not do these things because we think that God won’t give us His best until we do. Flip your thinking around!
God’s best is already waiting for you! By engaging with His Word and other believers, we receive, not earn, His blessings.
With that in mind, I’d like to help you refocus your prayers to adopt a more receptive posture toward God. Remember the gifts I listed above? Let’s revisit asking God for them in a receptive way:
God, it’s so easy for me to try to be a good Christian. Today, I choose to simply receive the gift of unconditional love that You’ve guaranteed. Help me live in Your love until it drowns out any lies that make me question Your love for me. Amen.
God, there are so many struggles that I have. God, lead me toward Your gift of freedom in my life and away from the endless ways that I keep trying to heal on my own.
God, everywhere I look, it’s so hard around me. I need the gift of hope that only You can provide, keeping my eyes on You and not on the world around me.
God, thank you for sending Jesus to give me the gift of peace that passes all understanding, regardless of my circumstances. I need that peace today.
SHARE GOD’S GIFT WITH OTHERS
If you know the end of the Samaritan woman’s story, you'll see that she became the first female evangelist in her community after Jesus revealed himself as the Messiah.
She wasn’t afraid to tell her story so that others would come to know Jesus.
Since it’s Holy Week, this is the perfect time to share your faith story and the impact of the gospel in your life. Who in your life needs to hear your story today? Take a moment to share it and use the resource below to help you write it out.
