We have heard for ourselves ...

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Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.” -John 4:39-42 NRSV

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In the late 1970s my wife Ellen and I frequently traveled and told groups our salvation story. Each of us told it from a different perspective. Ellen told of how she was blind for three years and how God touched and healed her in a church service. My story was more of how Ellen's changed life impacted me and brought me to the cross.

I love how different our stories were and yet how similar they were. We both experienced and witnessed the power of God in our lives. And like our gospel story today, I came to a point where my story was not so much about Ellen but about God and his Word working in my life. In the end we all must be confronted and changed by the living Word.

Lord, may we be like the woman at the well. May we burn with your message. May our lives point others to you.

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... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.

Look around you ...

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Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” -John 4:34-38 NRSV

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The words "look around you" speaks to me of our need to know those who are in our lives. When Jesus speaks of fields that "are ripe for harvesting" he is not speaking so much of giving an altar call but of touching lives the way that he touched them. He is saying: look at these with eyes of love and be moved by compassion to minister his grace.

That said, I love the idea of planting divine seeds into people's lives. Being patient with a frustrated cashier can be an instrument of grace. Speaking a word of encouragement to a hurting coworker can turn their hearts towards heaven. We really do not know how our lives will impact others when we are led by the Spirit and manifest His fruit.

Give us eyes to see and hearts to hear Lord. Fill us afresh with compassion that we might minister your grace.

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... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.

My food is to do the will of him who sent me ...

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Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. -John 4:31-34 NRSV

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The words of Christ in this passage speaks to me about the things that nourish and sustain us. I have experienced times of spiritual nourishment as I sat in pastoral counseling sessions. To see the transformation on a person's face in those meetings fed something deep inside of me. Seeing the woman at the well begin to receive the good news fed Jesus.

I think that most of us can relate to times when we felt this way. Sometimes just a simple act of kindness can fill our innermost being. It is like the Holy Spirit is training us to find nourishment in the things that he leads us to do. And yet, like the disciples, we sometimes focus all of our attention on temporal things when the eternal is so close.

Help us Lord to follow the your leading and find the food that satisfies forever.

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... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.

I am he

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The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.” ... Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” They left the city and were on their way to him. -John 4:25-26, 28-30 NRSV

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I love how Jesus interacts with the woman at the well. Their conversation comes across as a blend of idle chatter and deep conversation. It seems that there was probably more to their talk than what is reported by John. He spoke to her not only about who she was but about who he is. And in a very rare occurrence Jesus tells her that he is the Messiah.

Many messianic figures have arisen in history. Some accompanied by great works. Even today men rise up and claim the mantle of prophet or messiah. Since ancient times men and women have looked forward to the coming of such people. Even politicians get labeled as messiahs. Yet no one in history has ever impacted lives like Jesus of Nazareth.

Come Holy Spirit. Come Lord Jesus Christ. Speak to us. Change us. That we might leave all and tell your story.

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... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.

Worship in spirit and truth

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Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” -John 4:21-24 NRSV

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Don't you love how Jesus tells the Samaritan that worship is not about where we worship but how we worship. Throughout history humans have always wanted to make worship about a place. About Jerusalem, Mecca or Rome. About a Temple, Mosque or Cathedral. About a Priest, Imam or Pastor. Jesus tells us that the place is not important.

So what does it mean to "worship in spirit and truth"? I think that it first acknowledges that God is a spirit that does not live in a place such as a Temple, Mosque or Cathedral. God is everywhere. No one can put God in a holy box. As such our worship must be reflected in everything we do and everyplace we go. It must be a reflection of the spirit that lives in us and be filled with truthful integrity. Our outside must match our inside when we worship the Lord.

Come Spirit of the Living God. Fill us. Renew us. Live in our daily praises and worship. Teach us to live.

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... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.

I see that you are a prophet.

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The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come back.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem.”
-John 4:15-20 NRSV

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The conversation goes on. The woman at the well presses Jesus about this water he can give that will quench her thirst forever. Then it gets personal. Jesus begins to speak to her of what is going on in her life. She quickly changes the subject. His prophetic insight is a bit too much for her. She did not want to speak of the man she was living with.

It is so like us ... like me ... to change the subject when things get uncomfortable. It is so much easier to speak about theology when I really need to talk about my pain and my troubles. I think that Jesus wanted to talk to this woman about how hard and painful her life had been but she couldn't get there then. But God had other plans for her.

God, I love how you interact with us and do not allow us to stay in dark places. Thank you for loving us that much.

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... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.

A spring of water gushing up ...

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Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” -John 4:10-15 NRSV

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I love the message in this passage about how life is really about what is living inside and gushing out of us. It speaks to me about a life lived with passion and zeal. In another place Jesus spoke about how the abundance of the heart would spill out into our speech. The gospel message is that God comes and fills us with the living water of his Spirit.

Yet so often, like this woman of Samaria, we are more interested in waters that will quench our fleshly thirst. Ignorant of the water that gives us life we search for the experiences of waters that appeal to our earthly senses. In doing so we risk damming up the life of God that lives in our innermost being - the water that is able to satisfy our souls.

Teach us to release control Lord. Cause the living water to flow and touch those whom you love.

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... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.