"7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. JESUS said to her, "Give ME a drink."
8 (For HIS disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.)
9 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.)
10 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 at the well is one of the most intriguing stories in the Bible. JESUS "had" to go through Samaria, according to John 4:4, which says "And HE HAD to pass through Samaria." John 4:39 gives the reason why HE HAD to pass through Samaria when it says "Many Samaritans from that town believed in HIM because of the woman's testimony, "HE told me all that I ever did." JESUS did not just HAPPEN to go through Samaria, HE HAD to go there because GOD was directing HIM there!
The woman at the well was not one that was high in high esteem by most. According to the words of JESUS, she had been married FIVE times and the man she was currently with she wasn't married to! Yet JESUS HAD TO GO through Samaria because GOD was going to use this woman to glorify HIMSELF to a number of soon to be believers. Not because they were worthy or had earned the right to be blessed by GOD, but in HIS infinite grace and mercy, HE wanted ALL mankind to know that they were worthy of HIS forgiveness.
How many times do I feel as though someone is too far gone to be drawn into the LOVE and MERCY of GOD? Am I just as guilty as those who pre-judged the woman at the well and the people of Samaria? Do I allow "the world" to label and classify unbelievers into being too "bad" to be used by GOD? When GOD opens our eyes to reveal what we could have been (were it not for HIS mercy and grace), it makes me realize how judgmental I have been.
"IF YOU KNEW" may have been JESUS' way of saying that if we could see things from GOD's perspective our thoughts and actions might be different than they currently are? "IF YOU KNEW" of the blessings that GOD had in store for your life it may cause us to live our lives differently? "IF YOU KNEW" the ramifications of NOT following HIS leadership and guidance in our lives, we might be more submissive to HIM?
Although I have not been married five times, I am certainly no saint! A display of the valleys I have descended to would not be pretty if displayed on a movie screen. The mercy and forgiveness of GOD is something I continuously seem to claim in my life. But GOD SO LOVED me, and I am so glad HE did! HE loves you too, and you could receive the same forgiveness ......."IF YOU KNEW"!!!
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