overflowing love
Hi!!! It’s so so nice to be back!! It’s been a hot minute. Moving is no joke, let me tell ya! It’s taken a lot of grace, patience, and leaning solely on God. But, here I am 8 months later feeling like I finally have my feet under me. It’s been a crazy experience but it’s been so fun to explore a new city and meet new people. Okay, enough rambling– let’s get down to business…
The story of the woman at the well is one I’ve heard many times, yet one, prior to studying the story for this blog, I didn’t know many of the details about. I’ve always approached this story as the main idea of the story being rooted in the idea that this woman is a sinner, a prostitute even, and Jesus offers forgiveness. Which isn’t wrong, but there’s so much more to the story. And actually, nothing in the story indicates that this woman is actually a prostitute.
All throughout this story, and the course of Jesus’ life honestly, He’s defying expectations. He single handedly knocked down the barriers that had been put in place by humans. It was considered extremely unusual for a Jew to speak to a Samaritan. Espcially for a man to be talking to a woman… in private!! I mean it was considered all sorts of crazy. Jesus went against all the “rules” in conversating with the woman at the well.
But she was there– eager to listen to Him. She was the first “religious outsider” that Jesus revealed himself to. At this point, the hostility between the Jews and Samaritans is lethal. The two groups disagree about everything that matters: how to honor God, how to interpret the Scriptures, and how and where to worship. They worship in separate temples, read different versions of the Torah, and avoid each other AT. ALL. COSTS.
What’s so cool about this story is that the woman at the well asks Jesus who’s right and Jesus just blows the whole question wide open. Jesus says, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23). Worship no longer depends on places– but worshipping in spirit and in truth. This was a pretty big announcement at the time (still is), but He made the announcement to one, Samaritan woman. And He didn't stop there. He revealed himself to her, saying, “I who speak to you am He” (John 4:26).
Jesus is delivering this profound message to one lone woman at the well. A woman who was collecting water at an unusual time because she was an outcast, seen as unworthy. This is where it gets good. Amazed, the woman leaves Jesus at the well, even left her waterpot at the well, and immediately begins telling everyone she could about what she had just been told. She was so impressed by the love of Jesus that she forgot that she would rather everyone else forget all the things she had done.
The living water that Jesus is offering to the woman at the well is open to everyone, and it’s essential. Because it’s water that flows all the way through our faith—from creation to the parting of the Red Sea, from the Jordan River baptisms to the miracle at the wedding feast in Cana, from the washing of the disciples’ feet to the blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ side
Jesus showed her so much love and a such sense of security that she felt safe with Him, even when her sin was exposed. How amazing is it that we serve a God who, even when our deepest darkest sins are exposed, still pours out His overflowing cup of love right over us. I don’t know about you but, I want to be an extension of that. I want to be a place where other people can express their struggles and feel the love of Jesus pouring over them!
So here’s to being a vessel for Jesus Christ’s overflowing love!
