Our OT lesson in Exodus 17 begins with the words: “From the wilderness of sin…” (Not a good place to be!) How fitting this is because Israelites were in quite a messy situation; I am afraid this is a situation we might be familiar with. Have you ever been in a situation where you were 100% sure that your plan was going to work out and it doesn’t? Total disappointment! It was kind of like that for Israel. They were now out of Egypt (God had led them through victory after victory so far!). Now they were on their way to the promised land but, as you know, patience is a virtue that is rare not only in our own families but also in Israel. This time, though, they were in dire straits! They faced lack of water. That’s like a death sentence in the desert, except that they were a people of faith. How did they react? Well, they looked at how bad the situation was and freaked out. They forgot they were people of faith. We fall into that! Many times! Jesus comes with a solution for us: your security, your prosperity, all that you are worried about, their answer comes from God. That’s what he was explaining to the Samaritan woman. With me, you will never thirst ever again. This physical sensation of being thirsty is evocative of the inner thirst or hunger for God in us. We are made with this hunger for God. The trouble is that, when we get bored, we choose rather finite things to fill this inner void and end up thirsty again. These stories make us look deeper into the center of our lives: what kinds of things are we seeking to satisfy us, to make us happy, what are we thirsty for. Are we drawing from this perishable world or from the eternal living water? I hope we can explore this for ourselves.
Let’s begin with the OT. Yes, Israelites were thirsty. Instead of seeking a solution, they went through unhealthy rabbit holes that a true believer should not have to go through. They became agitated, quarreled with Moses and fell into deep distrust of God, disregarding all the victories that the Lord had granted them. But God remained patient and forbearing with all these insults, which shows His strong character to forgive. Jesus taught us that if your enemy is thirsty, give him a drink! When things get tough in life, don’t freak out, choose Jesus’ way! He said that only those who desire deeply, who “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” will be satisfied (Mt. 5:6).
To be satisfied, we have to learn to choose well: When we are alone at the well with Jesus (just like the Samaritan woman), we learn to not choose the familiar path that often relies on earthly principalities that can fall away anytime (like a particular organization that has our total loyalty, a person we have idolized, or a bank account we have relied on heavily). We learn to not choose the empty traditions that do not draw us closer to God. But rather, we are called to anchor our lives to the uncontrollable, infinite mystery life of God. I know not what you have faced lately… (1) it might be that your situation felt like life kicked you mercilessly; or (2) it may be a tough decision you’ve been wanting to make, and you are still unsure it’s the right thing to do; or (3) you may just be frustrated with the way things are. Either way, move not within your own strength, rather let God’s life into your heart, because often the danger is that, it is much easier for us to fall into lethargy and medicating by filling that inner void that is reserved for God with rather ungodly things. We need to keep watch, so we don’t sidestep God’s call on our lives.
The story of the woman at the well calls us to re-examine the very center of our lives. How have I been responding to concerning issues in my life? How am I dealing with them? The Samaritan woman laid it out there that her comfort was in the Samaritan worship establishment. She had been drawing from a shallow well! Jesus revealed to her all about her life and guided her to the living water that can never disappoint her. Will you today allow Jesus to guide you in whatever is the situation in your life? If you let Jesus in, this faith community here will walk with you!
Amen!
Comments
Post a Comment