John 4:1-15 ACROSS ANY BARRIERS
Chapter 4 in the Gospel of John is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. In this story, we will see Jesus' intention to cross any barriers to bring salvation to those who need it, Jews and Gentiles alike.
“Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus Himself did not baptize, but only the disciples), He left Judea and departed again for Galilee. AND HE HAD TO PASS THROUGH SAMARIA.”
Though the shortest and most usual road from Judea to Galilee is passing through Samaria, most jews went around Perea so that they can avoid the Samaritans. Now here is the thing, Jews and Samaritans did not like each other. There was a rift between them and we can see a glimpse of where this all started in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 17. Samaria was captured by the king of Assyria and the people were exiled because of their idolatry. These group of people intermarried with Assyrians, produced Samaritans who are half-Jews and half-Gentiles, and were condemned greatly by the "pure-breed" Jews.
"And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God. They feared other Gods (v. 7). They did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right (v. 9). And they did wicked things, provoking the Lord to anger (v. 11), and they served idols (v. 12). They were stubborn (v. 14). They despised His statutes and His covenant (v. 15). Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of sight (v. 18). None was left but the tribe of Judah only." 2 Kings 17
“A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ (For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to Him, ‘How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?’ (For the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)”
Now what I have learned through out the years of being a Christian is that God always moves even in our mundane and inconsequential days. There was never a day in our lifetime that God had no purpose for it. There was never an encounter with a stranger nor a friend that He had no plan on making it a crucial impact to our lives. Like how David describes it, God always searches out our path and our lying down and He is always acquainted with all our ways (Psalm 139:3). With that saying, I believe that this journey of Jesus going back to Galilee was not a mere excuse for Him to avoid the Pharisees. Rather, this was in fact a divine appointment that Jesus had planned long ago. It was about noon when Jesus got to Sychar where Jacob's well was located. He was weary and thirsty from His journey. And despite all of these centuries of opposition and rejection, Jesus decided that day that He had to pass through Samaria. And here He encounters a woman, crossing generational and cultural barriers, to denounce hatred and prejudice and to proclaim the gift of grace from God to the Samaritans.
PRAYER
Father, we thank You that You are the God of divine appointments. You do not miss anything in our lives. You are always there, watching our every steps. Lord, just like Jesus in this chapter that we just read, make us bold and courageous to spread the Gospel to those people who are hated and forgotten by society. Help us to reach out to those who are neglected and cause our hearts to swell in love, care, and compassion. Let us become agents of light that will shine Your name through out the world. Thank You for we were once like them but You have shown us mercy. We adore You and love Your Name. In Jesus' Name. Amen!