And he had to pass through Samaria. (John 4:4)
Read the full story in the Gospel of John HERE.
"Samaria"
John 4 tells the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. She was a Samaritan, a group with whom the religious Jews had hatred and enmity. Jesus broke the mold. He had to pass through Samaria.
Her shame was evidenced by her going to the well at midday, when it was too hot for others. Jesus began the conversation, but he knew her story. She had had five husbands, and the man she was living with was not her husband. He had to pass through Samaria.
Her physical thirst was obvious, but Jesus saw her spiritual thirst. At just the right time, he offered her the water of eternal life, the water that would satisfy her thirst soul. He had to pass through Samaria.
Don’t believe the lie that people in Orlando are not thirsty for God. Pray for them. Get to know them. Learn their story. Break the mold and meet people who are not like us. He had to pass through Samaria.
How to pray…
- For faith to go out of our way to meet people who are not part of our sub-culture. It might be the Muslim family in your neighborhood; someone from the LGBT community; a person with a different ethnic background; that family that does not put up Christmas lights; or someone voting differently than you in the upcoming election.
- For love for our neighbors, to get to know them as people made in the image of God; for a heart to hear their stories.
- For spiritual thirst in the hearts of those who might be far from God, who might feel outcast, who might be living in shame.
For the family:
What is your favorite drink when you are super thirsty? Coke, Gatorade, juice, or just ice cold water? When we are parched, we often crave one thing to satisfy that thirst. When our tongue and body are dehydrated, nothing else fixes it… food, candy, gum… they might help, but they don’t quench our thirst like a refreshing drink.
In John 4, we read how the woman at the well was thirsty with more than just physical thirst, but spiritual thirst. She needed a Savior. We learned yesterday about sin (the dirty water in our life!) and we all crave an answer to this problem. The only answer is Jesus and his death on the cross. Like the woman at the well, we all need a Savior.
Can you think of neighbors, friends or people in your life who need Jesus?
Pray today that they would be thirsty for Jesus and for opportunities to share Jesus with them.
Activity: Take a family trip to the store and pick up your favorite thirst-quenching drink! Carry it with you through the day as a reminder that Jesus is the only one who quenches our thirst and to think of others who need Jesus too!
Contributors
"The First Three Petitions" - Mike Tilley
Mike Tilley is the senior pastor of Lake Baldwin Church, and has lived in Orlando since 1994. He and his wife, Molly, worked with a core group from the Baldwin Park community to plant Lake Baldwin Church in 2006. Mike loves teaching the Bible in a way that relates to real life. In his spare time, Mike enjoys good movies, long dinner with friends, snow skiing, hanging out with his kids and two granddaughters, and travel.
"For the Family" - Michelle Crouse
Michelle Crouse has served as the director of LBC's children's ministry—SPLASH Kids—since the end of 2011. She and her husband Joshua were married in 2002 and have 2 children. Michelle grew up outside of Boston and graduated from James Madison University in Virginia with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She loves being with kids and loves the opportunity to be a part of teaching children how much they are loved by God, and helping them grow in their understanding of what that means.