Helping others know the grace of God!

Reflecting on John 4:1-26

“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” (John 4:10)

Jesus suggests that this woman does not know the gift (grace) of God.
He later says that the Samaritans “worship what you do not know” (John 4:22)
In other words, their religion was not based on the God of grace.
If this woman knew about God as a God of grace, she would come to God for her deep need.
The living water symbolizes her soul thirst, and God’s desire to satisfy her soul.

Do we know God like this, as a gracious God eager to satisfy our souls?
Not just our immediate physical needs, but our ultimate and eternal needs?
What we need is the deep love of God, a love than welcomes and renews us.
That Jesus is willing to come to this woman shows this deep love.
While humans treat others with contempt, God treats us all with grace and mercy.

Yet so many people do not know God this way… and we are to blame for that.
As christians we are too quick to be negative, judgmental and accusatory.
We separate from those who we deem ‘sinners’, and convey that God does too.
Many people reject God because the God they are told about is angry, not gracious.
If we know the grace of God, we need to let others know it too, so they can ask Him for grace!

PRAYER
Lord Jesus, many people do not know the gift/grace of God. And too often we are the ones who keep them from knowing. May we respond to the 'Samaritans' like You did, not like the Jews did. May people know the grace of God because help them to experience it!