Day 8 - Made to Worship

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people,"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"They came out of the town and made their way toward him...

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.

They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." John 4:28-30, 39-42

All her life Sam had been waiting, hoping and longing for Messiah to come. He’d explain everything to her. Here in this moment He had. It all made sense now. For the first time, Sam understood the thirst of her heart; her longing to be known and understood; the void in her heart that could only be filled by knowing Jesus and being known by Him.

The gift Jesus offered was a relationship. He said that if she drank Living Water it would become a spring within her welling up to eternal life. Jesus describes the relationship of Living Water and eternal life in John 17:3, when He was talking to His father and said: “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the One true God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

This is eternal life – that we can know Him! Not just know about Him but really KNOW Him! And in knowing Him our thirst for relationship can be quenched – our souls can be filled – our desires fulfilled. Eventually the relationship we have with Him will become a spring of Living Water – spilling out on those around us – leading them to know Him, too.

Sam drank deeply of the love Jesus offered. Sam surrendered all that she was and all that she had believed. Leaving her water jar behind, Sam left the well and everything that represented who she was when she got there that day at noon. She left behind the jar she carried, the shame she wore, and with it all of the rejection and regrets that were tied to her past. Sam responded in worship - in Spirit and in Truth. She surrendered her need for the approval and acceptance of others and received the authentic and unconditional acceptance of Her Messiah and Lord.

She’d been loved – so she could love.
She’d been forgiven – so she could forgive.
She’d been set free – so she could lead other captives to freedom.
She’d knew she belonged to Him – so she could invite others into the Father’s love.

Instead of running away – Sam ran back to the people she’d be running from. In her first act of true worship, Sam invited them to come and meet the man who told her everything she ever did and loved her deeper still. Her life was a wellspring she couldn’t keep to herself – just as Jesus had promise. In Spirit and in truth Sam’s worship that day led others to the One True God and Jesus Christ whom He had sent. Sam believed. Sam received.

Just like Sam….

You and I were made to worship.
You and I are called to love;
You and I are forgiven and free.
When you and I embrace surrender
When
you and I choose to believe,
Then You and I will see
who we were meant to be

Click the arrow to hear the rest and worship Him in the power of His promise.




© 2008, Renee Swope. All rights reserved.


6 Comments:

Renee:

The verse you quoted from John 17:3is one of my favorites because it truly defines the essence of eternal living--knowing God. This is the defining characteristic of our God and sets him apart from all the other "gods" the world may seek to worship and know. We worship the only God who can be known!

Last year, I came across a verse in Scripture that I memorized and it has been a theologically, sound thread for all of my public teaching, writing, and personal devotion.

"This is what the LORD says: 'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man bost of his strength, or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,' declares the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

May we all leave our "jugs" at the fount of Living Water to be filled with the inexpressible intimacy that comes from the leaving.

Thanks, friend, for this wonderful look at John 4. You've brought abundant truth and light to God's Word.

peace~elaine

Blogger Mocha with Linda said...

Love this!! And love the song!!

Blogger Joyful said...

Renee, I think of the following chorus:
"Knowing You Jesus, Knowing You
There is no greater thing
You're my all, You're the best
You're my joy and rightousness
And I love You Lord, love You Lord."

How sad that this Living Water is available to us, yet we often live with empty jugs...or at best half full, not being filled with all that Christ has made available and possible to us. Too often I don't drink deeply of the well. I rush quickly from His presence and miss His filling. It's my desire to have my cup full and running over.
Lifting up my 'cup' for the filling and quenching that only He can satisfy,
Joy

Blogger Debbie Giese said...

Renee, I just can't thank you enough for your mini-study.It really puts into words what I felt like before I met Christ at my own empty well. I will worship Him for the rest of eternity because He cared enough to come for me. He has filled me with such hope. I share what He has done for me with other women who are in the place I used to be. No man can love me like Jesus Christ. It's Him I turn to when I feel empty inside, not the things I used to. God Bless You, Debbie

Blogger Jodie Wolfe said...

I loved your insight into this woman. Thanks for making it fresh and come alive in a new way.
Treasure you!

Anonymous Anonymous said...

tHANKS FOR THE STUDY. i LOVE THE
jEREMIAH SCRIPTURE ELAINE CITED.
THERE IS AN OLD ROCKANDROLL SONG
THAT ALWAYS MAKES ME THINK OF JESUS== TO KNOW KNOW KNOW hIM IS
TO LOVE LOVE HIM JUST TO SEE HIMSMILE MAKES MY LIFE WORTHWHILE!

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