Well....Are YouThirsty?
Jul 26, 2017
I'm convinced that nothing propelled my heart like the day I met the man who aired out all my dirty laundry. He looked like he had just traveled a long distance. Our interaction was brief, however the words from his lips flowed like sweet honey. He was tender yet assertive, immediately when I saw him I knew he was an outsider. I was a bit hesitant to approach Him. I didn't want anyone to think I was creeping around the corners with another man. So I approached Him with caution, He turned and looked at me instantly, and said "Give Me a Drink" | John 4:7|, I was quite confused because He came to the well with nothing to draw the water with. It seemed strange to me while oddly at the same time it stroked my curiosity. He spoke in parables and in the gist of our conversation He said," If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." | John 4:10|"
"Living water, where do I get that from?"
He went on about how the living water would never make me thirst again. I couldn't lie, I just stood there eager to know exactly what He meant by that. An endless supply of water ? That didn't sound too bad.
My husband ? I thought to myself , what did that have to do with water ?
His words started to cut me deeper than I expected, and it suddenly got me thinking about my life.
Truth is:
I only came out during specific hours of the day where I wouldn’t have to encounter those who knew my dirty little secrets. I battled things I feared to confront so I pretended to be fine with my current circumstances, when in reality I was slowly dying inside. I carried bags of dried bones that lugged behind me. In hopes that one day I would encounter a heavy wind that would rattled the bones back to life. It was evident to all, that the weight of the bagged bones were too heavy for me to bear. The proof was that the rope like fibers bruised my back and left deep scars.
The heavy load steered my heart into a violent panic. Where I would be in different stages of grief while--calculating all my major insecurities at the same time. I would hear the people talking, the words from their lips were ice cold, building up my shame. I was mocked and manipulated to believe that my worth was frail and lifeless.
Yes it was true I had FIVE husbands, and I was living with a man now who also not matrimonially committed to me. I had DEMONS, which led me into the arms of men who had betrayed me. The hurt and disrespect from their actions crippled me, so when things got hard I found myself laying up under someone else or running to find myself comfort in other ways. It had become apparent that my sins were leaving footprints all over town and everyone somehow knew my business.
In awe I thought to myself, could this man be a prophet? How did he know about all my husbands.
Yes it was true I had FIVE husbands, and I was living with a man now who also not matrimonially committed to me. I had DEMONS, which led me into the arms of men who had betrayed me. The hurt and disrespect from their actions crippled me, so when things got hard I found myself laying up under someone else or running to find myself comfort in other ways. It had become apparent that my sins were leaving footprints all over town and everyone somehow knew my business.
This resulted in me planning my days out. I couldn’t confidently face the truth. I was convinced that I had developed a bit of anxiety just being around people. Their taunting presence gave me the ability to clearly hear the abnormal rhythm of my heart beat. It was calloused and wrapped in flesh with an appetite for unhealthy affection. The chambers were stained with imprints of dirt which were not easy to clean off, because it had built up residue from the ashes I was made of. The signs of my struggles were evident, it broke out like an epidemic flowing through my blood streams latching onto every vulnerable part of me. It fed me and fattened me up with temporary pride, however at the same time sucking all the energy out of me-- leaving me empty and misused.
" I have no husband", I responded silently.
" You are right!, You don't have a husband-- for you have had five husbands, and you aren't even married to the man you are living with now." | John 4:17-18|
In awe I thought to myself, could this man be a prophet? How did he know about all my husbands.
I was ashamed of the things I had done. I couldn't find the courage to look Him in the eye, I had lost my identity in the face of adversity in parched places. However, His words sprang like a well inside me. The chaos in my life was silenced by his presence, I barely knew anything about this Man but in our short interaction he knew everything about me. My darkness was brought to light and everything concealed was revealed in Him. He offered what no one could give me; a heart that could worship God in truth and never thirst again. Furthermore, in spite of my heavy past he drew me out of the well when I was thirsty for other things.
for the sake of love,
This Samaritan women had been searching for something. However, after five husband she still couldn't find what she was looking for. So what did she do? She looked again and still ended up in the same situation. I grew up with a lot of insecurities as a child which taunted me and destroyed my self esteem. I numbed my pain with temporary satisfactions. So I ran into the arms of others who I thought could help me deal with my internal issues. I down played the truth and resisted the reality to quench my affections. My scars deepened and I found myself in the same miserable place.
There a popular quote by Albert Einstein that says, " Insanity, is doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same results". Certainly, this woman wasn't insane but she was broken and looking to be filled in the arms of men. Many of us may not be in the exact situation but some of us are. We’re emotionally abused by those who claim to love us. Nonetheless, every time we encounter their presence we’re left emptier than ever. We allow temporary satisfaction, people or things to keep us in bondage. Whether we want to accept it or not, the truth is, if we keep turning to these idols for comfort they will end up being failed gods-- useless and powerless. However, there is hope in knowing that, Jesus has the power to draw our heart towards him even in sticky situations.
That means, He is more than able to sustain us with an overflow of love, joy and peace in which no human or thing can give. So be intentional about your pursuit with Christ and if you haven't met him yet he's at the well waiting to quench our thirsty souls.
There a popular quote by Albert Einstein that says, " Insanity, is doing the same thing over and over again and getting the same results". Certainly, this woman wasn't insane but she was broken and looking to be filled in the arms of men. Many of us may not be in the exact situation but some of us are. We’re emotionally abused by those who claim to love us. Nonetheless, every time we encounter their presence we’re left emptier than ever. We allow temporary satisfaction, people or things to keep us in bondage. Whether we want to accept it or not, the truth is, if we keep turning to these idols for comfort they will end up being failed gods-- useless and powerless. However, there is hope in knowing that, Jesus has the power to draw our heart towards him even in sticky situations.
That means, He is more than able to sustain us with an overflow of love, joy and peace in which no human or thing can give. So be intentional about your pursuit with Christ and if you haven't met him yet he's at the well waiting to quench our thirsty souls.
"When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the LORD will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them. | Isaiah 41:17|
for the sake of love,
* You can find the story in John 4:1-42. Note the Samartian woman's part is not in the bible. I found a way to use her encounter with Jesus to connect my readers to the issues we face on a daily basis*
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