«He needed to go through Samaria» (John 4:4)
FOR THE TRAVELER WHO WANTED TO GO FROM JUDEA TO GALILEE, the shortest route was through Samaria, but no «respectable» Jew would think of doing such a thing. Instead, he preferred to take a long detour through the Jordan Valley. Why such an effort?
It was because «the Jews and the Samaritans were bitter enemies, and as far as possible avoided all dealing with each other. «—The Desire of Ages, ch. 19, p. 183. However, when Jesus had to travel from Judea to Galilee, He used the route that no strict Pharisee would take. Why? Because he «needed to go through Samaria.» He specifically needed to get to Sychar, where, around noon, a woman regularly went to draw water from Jacob’s well. The Scriptures say that «it was about noon» (John 4:6, NIV) when the encounter took place.
«Give me a drink,» Jesus said to her.
«How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?»
She was surprised, and rightly so, because He, being a Jew, was asking a Samaritan woman for a drink. What if she knew that the One who was speaking to her was not just any Jew, but none other than the Savior of the world? What if she knew that He had traveled there precisely to reveal Himself to her?
What must the heavenly angels have thought to see the Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and the fountains of the waters sitting beside Jacob’s well, at the hottest time of the day? What must they have thought to see Him asking a sinful woman for a drink?
«If you knew the gift of God, «Jesus replied, «and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.»
The story says that she asked for that water, and He gave it to her. And when she tried it, she shared it with others. Leaving her pitcher, «she went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city and came to Him» (John 4:28-30).
What happened when they also drank from the living water? «Many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, ‘Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world» (vv, 41, 42).
Now we understand why Jesus had to go through Samaria! And we also understand something else: That there is nothing that our wonderful God is not willing to do to save us!
Thank You, dear Jesus, for leaving Your throne and dying on the cross, all because You love me.
Please help me today to share the water of life that wells up to eternal life.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
