Don’t Panic! Jesus Has Your Back

John 4:10 to 43.  The Samaritan Woman.

‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman”. When the Lord ask us to partner with him, this most often is our response. We remind the Lord of the facts of our lives like he doesn’t know before calling us. We need to see beyond the facts of our life’s to the limitless potential embedded in yielding to the masters request.

Jesus answered her, he is answering us now also. If we knew the gift of God that has been bestowed on us and the limitless possibility of a life yielded totally to the masters bidding, we will not be reluctant or find excuses to living for and serving the Lord.

We often walk by sight and see only impossibilities. How can the Lord do that which he has promised through me. Alas, I cannot speak well, how about my weakness, short comings and mistakes! Friends, there is countless factors that will disqualify us in the natural without Christ in the picture. How can I be who Christ says I am? My circumstances and situation speaks otherwise. Do I really have it in me to be who Christ says I am? Can Christ really change my story? We often ask and questions ourselves.

Only if we know who’s boat we’ve entered into through salvation. He created the whole universe and times and seasons are in his hands. What he says comes to pass. He renews, restores and rebuilds among others. Yes, Christ will rebuild the old ruins. He will restore health, fortune, ailing love and passion in marriage and so on.

Really? I often wonder. Is it possible for Christ Jesus to restore me? All that I have lost, stolen from me? All the shamble of what remains of a once beautiful hope, I wondered.  Oh! If that was possible, why did it not? Wished I had known, I would not have wasted so much time dilly dallying. Well, I am tired of the enormous burden. Jesus would you please take this burden and keep it off the Samaritan woman asked in verse 15.

Christ response was, “Go call your husband and come back”. Oh my! Christ has just touched a sour thumb, ouch! It hurts! The pain, reproach of failed marriages.The seeking of fulfilment outside of the will of God. The laborious agony of filling a void that can only be filled by the love of Christ.

Your husband sisters and mine couldn’t have given us joy without us finding ourselves first in Christ. Lack of joy and fulfilment plagued the Samaritan woman as it does lots of women even today. How she sought joy and fulfilment in the wrong place, until she was in her fifth marriage, even then, joy eludes her. She responded to Jesus that she has no husband. Why? you might ask. Her heart is still void, Joy has eluded her yet again, she’s at a loss, just cohabiting, just surviving, masking it.

Jesus in verse 18 tells her the facts that she has long buried. Alas, its been too painful for her, just like most of us. We bury in the recess of our minds, the pain, shame and reproach of failures without dealing with it. Christ got her attention here. We catch a glimpse of God looking at our past failures, mistakes and so on and yet not judging or condemning us. Instead, he looks at us with love and compassion. We acknowledge and profess our love for God, yet still judge our selves by the things done in the past, or not, by traditions,what people are saying or not saying.

God revealed his love to us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us , every single person. Romans 5:8. We ought to just embrace that which has been wrought for us, accept love and forgiveness and hope for tomorrow. We must stop giving excuses and stop being skeptical. Yes, these other men had promised her heaven and earth and did not deliver. Oh yes, we unconsciously expect another that will take away the pain, shame and aches of the past. A single sister would say, when I get married I will be happy and serve God. A married sister would be, oh well, when my husband changes, or I have children or when  my kids grow up everything will be okay and I will serve God then. A sister in transition will say, well, when I remarry or get reconciled with my husband, serving God truthfully would be easier or possible.

Seldom does it cross our mind that Christ wants us just as we are to live for him. Come just as you are to worship, let Christ embrace you, imperfection and all.

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Friends, the beauty of the story of the Samaritan lady is that she became an evangelist right where she met Jesus. She happens to be the only woman recorded in the scriptures that Jesus Christ had a private, lengthy one on one with. It all started with Christ need, request and  her willingness to oblige him even without knowing who he was. You’ll also note that she went into town to evangelise without convincing assurance of who Christ was, verse 28 -30.

The Samaritan woman was willing to be vulnerable to scrutiny. She was fearless of criticism, loving and generous enough to want to share the peace that has flooded her heart with others. You see, having spent sometime with Christ, his glory has robbed on her, her countenance had changed because when she went to town, she was glowing, the people were wondering, what could be responsible for this joy exuding from this “forsaken” woman.

Remember, she had a reputation, not a very nice one and probably not many pay attention to her, nothing good is expected from her. Yet, just an encounter with Christ changed all that. She spoke and the whole town listened and followed her back as she led them to the presence of Jesus Christ. Oh, she harvested souls that day that would have taken a lifetime. Just Imagine how huge her account in heaven is.

A whole city followed Christ – John 4:39-42. The rejected, good for nothing Samaritans heard the gospel and believed while the Jews – Pharisees and Sadducees were plotting to snuff life out of this eternal life giving phenomenal – message of the gospel.

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Sisters and friends, will you enlist to work for the Lord by living a fulfilled life in Christ Jesus. Find yourself in the gospel of love and compassion, repent of all known sins, forgive others and forgive yourself, embrace this beautiful life of Christ redeemed and set your eyes on endless possibilities. Matthew 6:33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all other things shall be added unto you. Restoration is available. Trust God, he will deliver. Jesus is Lord.

Copyright© 2020, Joan Sanusi, Radiant Glory, All rights reserved.