Message: John 4 : 21 – 24
Hebrew Word of the Day: Ruah – meaning like the wind or soul of a person
Daily, we go throughout life with multiple needs. Our needs can be simple like a drink of water, or complex like a pay raise to support paying for our kids soccer practices. Without a doubt, we need to have a steady foundation for our spiritual desires regardless of our physical situations. This leads me to ask one question, what is your source?
Spiritual Needs
Our spiritual needs must come first before all else. Personally, I can have everything together in my life and feel competently empty inside day to day while having a bright smile on my face. To be clear, it is a daily struggle to suppliment myself with spiritual wellness when my heart is not aligned with God’s.
To properly align my heart, I turn my eyes and ears to the one and only. He must become my source for all things. For I know, I can not supply my spiritual needs with Netflix, more time at the gym, a better job, or even physical desires of the heart. Only my faith, dedication to the word, and worship can supplement this ever lasting hole in my soul.
For this struggle in my life, I turn to John 4 when Jesus has a discussion with the woman at the well.
21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
– John 4 : 21 – 24
The Samaritan Woman
The text is an iconic one that is referenced often for sermons. To me, the text symbolizes the need for a spiritual source. The woman, thirsty for water and attention throughout her life, seems to crave more than the physical nature of this world. Obviously, those things were not satisfying her. Through this craving she had consumed herself in lustful pleasure and broke multiple marriages.
Jesus, knowing the woman’s heart, asks her for a drink since his disciples had gone into the town to retrieve food. Jesus stayed here as not to cause a stir within the town upon his presence. Essentially, here is the king of kings hiding from the people of the world to speak with a woman that many people would have viewed as worthless. Jesus knew her value dispute her source.
Everlasting Water
Reflecting on this passage and what Jesus does, it makes me wonder if I truly use God as my source for everything.
“Worshipers must worship in Spirit and in Truth.” I often forget that we are the worshipers of God. The truth of our spirit, our Ruah, determines our outward projection to the world. I may be able to smile for the first couple weeks of living an unholy life, but over time those internal demons will become outward projections of myself onto other people unintentionally.
Unfortunately, those people will most likely be the ones I care for the most. My family, friends, and significant other. My internal battles will create external conflict if I do not become a proper man of God and fix my source.
Closing
This passage speaks to me in different ways, but over-achingly, it teaches me that God uses who he wants. I do not get to choose who God will and will not use.
That day, Jesus quenched that woman’s thirst, and she went back to Samaria a changed person. She then converted hundreds of Samarians to Christ which impacts the world all the way to today. She found a new source.
God uses who he wants. I just have to be a willing vessel, set my heart aligned with his, and prepare in case my day comes. No matter the physical tribulation, I must choose God to be my source.
