There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 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.” John 4:7-10
Dear Lord Jesus, I praise you today for your tenacious and tender pursuit of us, when we need you the most. This broken woman had been on a quest to find life in the arms of men—many men. The more she evaded your gaze, the more you applied your grace. She ran; you pursued. She danced around; you stopped the music. Thankfully, you came to seek and save the lost, not just broadcast an offer from a distance. We have a lot in common with this beloved woman.
Indeed, Jesus, continue to deliver us from our grace allergies—living with an aversion to the gospel—minimizing our need and marginalizing your love. That we choose broken cisterns, dumb idols, and self-help over your love is sheer madness. Grace is for sinners—not for pretenders, posers, and performers. You intend to heal us, not harm us; to embrace us, not embarrass us; to succor us with compassion, not shame us with contempt.
So, Jesus, once again I bring real thirst to you today. I bring my penchant to avoid you. I bring my allergic reactions to the gospel. I bring my excuse making, my unbelief, my pride, and my self-righteousness. I bring that part of me that would rather help others discover your grace than partake of it for myself.
I choose to drink, right now, from your life-giving never-ending gift of living water. Slake my thirst and satisfy my soul, that I might live to praise you, and love others as you love me. So very Amen I pray, in your pursuing and all-satisfying name.
