Part 4 of this story series ...
His Presence.
She didn’t know how much time had passed since He first asked her for a drink of water, because she had been utterly consumed with His Presence.
He took her off guard, first by speaking to her, then by drawing her in, not as a sexual conquest but as a beloved child.
And it all came down to His Presence.
His Essence.
His life-giving Spirit, as plentiful, as nourishing, as refreshing as the cold water from the depths of that well.
It deluged her in the scorching heat of that noonday sun, wiping out all memory of the burn of her shame, the loneliness of her life.
It poured down her parched throat, this Living Water … this Gift … this Presence.
He was all around her, speaking comfort to her, knowing her, understanding her … loving her. He was the Water. The Water was Him.
He had been willing to make His appointment – to put aside all to which He was entitled – peace, rest, quiet, solitude – to be with her.
But it was more than that.
He had been willing to relinquish His throne, His regal place, His honor, His might … to meet her on this day, in this moment, at this well.
He had been willing to come so that she could taste the Living Water, so that she could drink Him in and be satisfied.
As she plunged into the fountain of His wisdom, kindness, compassion and love, something miraculous happened.
The Discarded Woman was transformed into a Re-claimed Daughter.
And in that transformation, in that overwhelming and joyous reunion of Parent and child, she suddenly became willing to put aside all of her preferences, all of her rights, all of her pride, all of her reticence.
She was so excited to meet Him, to learn of Him, to know Him, to love Him … that she wanted to share Him with others.
She wanted other discarded children to drink of the Water, too.
So she dropped everything. She ran back to the village. She told everyone who would hear – “Come see Him! Could this be the Messiah?”
And they came.
They came in droves … dozens and dozens, all with needs, all with hurts, all with emptiness, all with fatigue and feelings of abandonment.
They came because she was willing to share.
They came because He came for them first.
He had an appointment, you see …. an appointment with an entire village of discarded people.
What does this have to do with a Christian Safehouse? Tune in for the conclusion of this tale …
And to think that the "tale" is true. That it actually happened, so, so long ago. You bring it all to life. We can see the well,the Water of Life, and maybe, even the water jug she carried on her head. And it all happened in "enemy territory". Imagine that!
ReplyDelete