Day after day she made the trek to draw water.
Noon time heat....
Noon time cold....
Noon time dry and Noon time rain...
No matter what, noon was her time to fetch water for her and her family.
If you could call it a family.
Several children by different husbands...
This was never part of the future she had wished for her life.
So many husbands that she completely gave up on marriage.
Marriage was for other women. It wasn't to be for her.
The man she was living with simply tolerated her. As long as the meals were prepared and the living quarters kept clean...she could stay. To him, she was nothing more than a house servant. She tried to imagine her life as being better than it truly was. After all, she did have a roof over her head and she was not cast out into the streets to become simply chattel.
She heard the whispers of others when she went out.
Whore....
harlot....
No good......
Faces turned the other way when she stepped out into the streets. After all, she had a reputation. She was one of those women.
She had lived through five husbands and was now simply living with another man. Such was never a part of the life she'd hoped for as a little girl.
Day after day, she went by herself to draw water.
She went at the one time of day she knew no one would be at the well. It was one of the few moments she could enjoy by herself. But really there wasn't any peace....the memories seemed to chase after her, calling her names and reminding her of how far she'd fallen in life.
This morning was no different than any other. Or at least she thought it to be that way. But little did she know that she was going to run into a man at the well who'd change her life forever. Little did she know that she was going to run into Jesus...the Messiah. Her....a Samaritan woman with a bad reputation was going to have an encounter with the Son of God. Truly life would never be the same.
Now whether we want to believe this or not, such still happens to this day.
You never know when you will run into Jesus. Oh, He won't appear before you as a man....but it will be the real deal Jesus none the less.
You may suddenly have a fleeting thought pass through you mind of Jesus. A verse....a song.....the idea that God loves you. Such as these are encounters.
Lay hold of such things, for heaven has come to you.
When having thought, you may suddenly be aware of a sin or attitude...some harsh word you spoke...or thought you had against someone and, because of it, suffer a twinge of guilt or shame. Know that it is Jesus' way of lovingly letting you know that such does not belong in your heart.
You may be driving to work enjoying your cup of coffee, as well as the song on the radio, when suddenly you find yourself feeling joy or peace deep inside. That is a call to worship in the moment. So cut loose and yell out a a hardy "Thank You Jesus!!!" Don't worry no one is watching you. Besides, even if they are, they'll think you're listening to classic rock and are singing along with the radio.
Truth be known...
Jesus is all around us and for the most part, we miss him as we move through our day.
Keep your heart focused, ready to see Him...
Ready to hear Him....
Ready to talk with Him....
Ready to give yourself completely to Him.
No matter what you current state is in life....
He is ready to embrace you and take you on the greatest adventure you could ever hope to experience.
Not one of lollipops and puppy dogs.....rainbows and unicorns.....
But of truth and power and His Kingdom being brought down square into your life, changing you in ways that you could never imagine.
As Larry Norman wrote, " Why don't you check into Jesus....He's got the answers!"
God on you..
mb
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