79. The Grace Of “Living Water” (John: 4 10)

When the Samaritan woman at the well offered Jesus a drink of water, He replied, “You don’t know what God wants to give you and you don’t know who is asking you for a drink, If you did, you would ask me for the water that gives life.” (John 4:10) Jesus routinely showed mercy to people who least deserved it, and this woman was one such a person. (In the opinion of most.) Today I am asking this question of us all, How do you and I measure up when extending God’s Grace to others, are we gracious, or do we take it upon ourselves to dole it out sparingly? Jon Walker says: Grace allows people to make choices...it’s free...flowing.. Unencumbered by guilt or shame. it says, ‘I know all about you, and I still love you’...most of us, if we are honest, function as if God were stingy with His Grace We fear His punishment.. We fear He, like the school Head master is walking the corridors of life, taking down names, but God already knows who did what and who’s to blame, and He loves us anyway. His interest is in redeeming us, not in keeping us on the hook for our sins. Unfortunately, many of us Christians live our lives as if we were still on the hook.. therefore we have to keep everyone else on the hook as well, we use weapons of the flesh – the sarcastic comment, the angry stare the raised eyebrow – to get people to wise-up and live right. By contrast, The Woman at the well went back to her village and said, “Come see the man who told me everything I ever did (John 4:29) Nothing was hidden from Jesus, Yet, He communicated in such a fashion that she left feeling loved and accepted. That’s God’s Grace!. Recently reading Chuck Swindal I had to agree, “Many of us believers are intolerant of those who don’t fit our mould - an attitude that reveals it’s self in the stoic stare or caustic comment. Such reactions will thin the church ranks faster than a fire in the basement or flu in the pew.” Paul rebuked the Galatians for “Deserting Christ” (Gal 1:6) “nullifying the Word of God” (Gal 2:21) and becoming “bewitched by legalism” (Gal 3:1) Sure there are limits to freedom. Grace does not condone licence … The opposite of legalism isn’t ‘do as you please’ But the limitations are broader than most of us realise. I can’t believe for example the only music God smiles on are High brow or hymns, nor do I believe the necessary garment for entering the veil is a suit and tie...Let’s remember who gets wound up over outward appearances It’s not God, “He looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Jesus reserved His longest and strongest sermon for the legalists – present day Pharisees. When it came to self righteous showing off, Jesus pulled no punches. He found it was the only way to deal with those who hung around places of worship destaining and despising others. No less than seven times He pronounced “ Woe to you” Because that’s the only language the Pharisees understood.. while we can’t and don’t need to accept inappropriate behaviour, dress, language or uncleanness in or outside church, we need to remember, grace is a gift from God which not only identifies us as good people of God, but helps us to show Jesus for the loving, understanding and accepting God that He is. Grace also tells us that gentle guidance and allowances should be made for the mentally and or physically handicapped, such people God loves more than He loves us (if that were possible) They have a special place in the heart of God. So love them and don’t disparage them, or you may find yourself with a large stone around your neck in the middle of the sea.!! And for those of us who think we have it all together ...and can get away with crossing the borders in the above categories, remember, that due diligence plus soap and water are easily procured.. I still remember an elderly teacher always ending our weekly “Health and Hygiene” class with these words “Never allow a few sprays of perfume to taker the place of a good shower.” Good advice.!!! Thank you for reading these words of “Living Water Grace” Water is a wonderful commodity, It can clean both the inside and the outside of our bodies, it’s no wonder Jesus used it in so many of His miracles and dealings with the people., He changed water into wine, He walked on it in the sea, He multiplied the catch of fish, He spoke to Nicodemus of the importance of being Baptised with water and the Holy Spirit, and what a cup of water given in His name would do for us. Yes, Jesus took something as ordinary as water to teach some of His greatest lessons. Also in the old Testament we can see God doing the same thing, The flood, the crossing of the red sea, and the water from the Rock. There are many more references to water in Scripture, well worth doing a study on. God bless us all as we look to His Word for “The Living Water Of God’s Grace.” Phaline