Ever find yourself in a place you never intended to be? Ron and I travelled though many not-so-great places.
For ten years, my late husband Ron successfully battled Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia (CLL), a triple by-pass, a valve repair, a hip replacement and more. Were we tired of Samaria? You bet. Wondered why we were still in it? You bet.
Then one day our neighbor told us she had cancer.
“I’m okay with it, Ron. I’ve seen you stand through all these things. I know I can do it too.”
She started coming to church and I prayerfully wait the day she asks Christ into her life.
Biblical-era Jews travelling from Judea to Galilee or vice-versa, would cross over the Jordan River, avoid Samaria by going through Transjordan, and cross back over the river again once they reached their destination. Nobody wanted to be in Samaria.
The Bible says that Jesus was there ‘by necessity.’ Why? Couldn’t he have avoided it?
John 4:4-It was necessary for him to go through Samaria (AMP).
It wasn’t a safe place for a Jew to be alone, yet he found rest and refreshment there. (John 4:6-8). He enjoyed conversation (7), confrontation (9) and had a chance to witness (10-24).
As a result a woman chose to believe in Christ (25-26). She eventually told others about Jesus (29) and they also believed (40).
If Ron had balked, whined, complained and moaned about the hardships and difficulties of our less than safe place, I doubt that our neighbor would be looking for Jesus.
How is it going in your Samaria?
Prayer: Lord when we find ourselves in places we don’t want to be, remind us that you’ve gone before us and someone is waiting there to hear about Jesus. Amen.
Be First to Comment