A New Day. A New Life in Christ.
Each week, I ask God to remind me to get up and write these devotionals. Getting up isn't the hard part; it's the writing, which should be easy for someone who enjoys writing. Still, every week, usually early in the morning, he wakes me up, prompts me to write, and I start typing. And all I’ve done is ask Him. He has done everything else. When it comes to God, His intention is perfect because He never forgets anything and always gives us the reminders we need. This shows us that He truly cares
Looking at scripture, we see that God shows this same intention and attention to detail when He leads Jesus to visit the Samaritan woman at the well. Her story begins with a simple conversation where Jesus asks for a drink. The woman responds, acknowledging their different cultural and religious backgrounds. Then Jesus says, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." (John 4:10)
At first, the woman didn’t fully understand who Jesus was or what He was offering. But then, we reach a very important part of the story. Jesus looks beneath the surface and speaks to her heart, explaining why He came to Samaria.
He intentionally addresses her past relationships. He says, "You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." (John 4:17-18)
The conversation then shifts quickly. Some might have been offended by Jesus’ words and walked away. But the woman began to see who Jesus truly was—the Messiah she had been longing to meet. She faced the truth and realized that Jesus cared about her long-term salvation, not just temporary fulfillment. She was now in the presence of someone she had only heard about before.
In verse 28, it says: "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 Messiah?'" Finally, verse 39 shows the powerful change that happened in just a short time. Many people in the town believed in Jesus because of her testimony: "He told me everything I ever did."
I believe we can learn a lot from this story. Seeing Jesus’ intention for us and our lives is more important than we often realize, that we don’t need to rely on ourselves to find what we truly need. While the woman eventually asks Jesus for the water, we see that He cares enough to offer it to her first, through Himself, the true living water. Eventually, she goes on her way, transformed. Those around her also changed because Jesus stopped by, showed genuine concern, and cared deeply for her, offering her a new chance at life.
Prayer:
God, this week, help us to long to see you and face reality, knowing that you alone are all we need. Teach us to rely not on ourselves, but on your goodness and your plans for us. As we look forward to the future, keep us close to you with intention and care, fixing our eyes and hope on you. Thank you for a new day and a fresh chance at life through Jesus. Thank you that your Son has enough grace and mercy to transform us each day to be more like Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
