It was necessary for Him to go through Samaria. (Jn 4:4)
Jesus was on His way to Galilee and this is what the Gospel has to say about the journey: It was necessary for Him to go through Samaria. Even though this is the most direct route, somehow I don’t think this was a shortcut. In my experience, God seems to have little concern about me taking the easy way in life. I don’t think shortcuts are high on His priority list. But it was NECESSARY for the Lord to go this way.
I believe that He was led by the Holy Spirit to a divine appointment with a desperate heart. He walked into Sychar and sat down by the well as the disciples went looking for food. I imagine that He was looking at the path that led into the village with expectation, and that He smiled when He saw the woman with the jar walking His way. Jesus was on a mission.
We know the story. The woman was a person with a past. Her wrong choices had led her down sinful paths and cost her respect and dignity. Relationship after failed relationship followed her and she walked alone, heart questioning, pondering weightier matters than the townspeople would have believed.
As she stood and talked to Jesus, He offered her the Living Water of salvation, talked about her dysfunction, discussed meaningful worship, and the nature of God. Then He drops the bombshell! He told His secret– the one He let the disciples figure out on their own, the one He refused to let demons divulge–to this disreputable woman from the wrong side of the tracks! He just opened His mouth and told her that He was the Messiah!
You know, this gives me so much hope! You see, my past didn’t look just like hers, but it was still checkered. I had made wrong choices in life. I wasn’t held in high regard. It was a different set of tracks, but I was on the wrong side of them too. And Jesus still found it necessary to keep an appointment with me. Do you remember that day that you found Him waiting to meet with you? Do you remember the joy you found as you drank from that well of Living Water when you were first saved?
I believe that the Lord has appointments set up for the church. There are people all around us, trying to find satisfaction and fulfillment by drinking out of old cisterns that cannot quench their spiritual thirst. Some drink from the wells of alcohol, marijuana, heroin, and meth. Some drink time after time from the allure of building their wealth and possessions. Still others are pulling water from leisure activities and family events. But at the end of the day, they are still thirsty. They still need their jars filled at the cistern again.
I believe that the Lord has divine, Holy Spirit directed appointments set up for these people, and He is sending me and you to sit on the side of the well and offer Living Water to these thirsty souls. The people coming may be wearing business suits and neckties, but don’t be surprised if they have cigarettes in their pockets and gauges in their ears. They are probably people who don’t know how to act in a church or what to wear on Easter morning. But Jesus doesn’t care! He is longing to reveal Himself to them. Are you willing to partner with Him on the mission? He finds it NECESSARY for you to go to Samaria!
