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The idea of friendship with God is fascinating. First of all, God is so vast and powerful that to think of human and Deity camaraderie seems rather impossible. Secondly, why
would God want to have community with His creatures? We mess up regularly, grieve Him, and struggle to follow Him. Yet, He continues to love. He IS love.
The woman at the well is a profound example. She, like all people would, was at the well getting water to quench her thirst. She knew that she must always return to the
well, because thirst comes regularly. She was human, with human perspective. But in the middle of her rather ordinary routine, God came in human form and offered her an eternal option to satisfy thirst. His offer was relationship and communion with Himself.
So many times in Scripture, we see this offer of rest and communion with God. One of my favorites is Isaiah 30:15, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says, ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” He goes on to say later in the chapter, in verse 18, “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him.”
What consistently stands out is a lack of striving. Quietness, rest, waiting, compassion…all these things make us pause and take a deep breath. The woman at the well lived a
life of relational turmoil with men. She was used to being rejected by the Jews as a Samaritan, and she was focused on forms and debates of worship instead of
worshipping in spirit and in truth. Jesus stopped her in her tracks and His offer was one of love and rest.
Later on in Isaiah 46, God once again says “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried you since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Do you see the themes coming out over and over again? God is the One to carry us and the One who rescues, sustains, and gives rest. Relationship with Him is pure joy. Don’t get me wrong; God is still a God of justice and wrath with un-repentance. But for those who accept Him, turn from sin, and accept relationship, He is the satisfaction we so deeply long for.
Today, “harden not your heart” and receive His goodness and offer of relationship. If you have been choosing sin instead of Him, rid yourself of it and come back to Him. God longs to give you the living water. Take time to pray after reading and even search the Scriptures for other examples of God’s compassion and rest. There are so many and I
know they will encourage your heart.
would God want to have community with His creatures? We mess up regularly, grieve Him, and struggle to follow Him. Yet, He continues to love. He IS love.
The woman at the well is a profound example. She, like all people would, was at the well getting water to quench her thirst. She knew that she must always return to the
well, because thirst comes regularly. She was human, with human perspective. But in the middle of her rather ordinary routine, God came in human form and offered her an eternal option to satisfy thirst. His offer was relationship and communion with Himself.
So many times in Scripture, we see this offer of rest and communion with God. One of my favorites is Isaiah 30:15, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says, ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” He goes on to say later in the chapter, in verse 18, “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him.”
What consistently stands out is a lack of striving. Quietness, rest, waiting, compassion…all these things make us pause and take a deep breath. The woman at the well lived a
life of relational turmoil with men. She was used to being rejected by the Jews as a Samaritan, and she was focused on forms and debates of worship instead of
worshipping in spirit and in truth. Jesus stopped her in her tracks and His offer was one of love and rest.
Later on in Isaiah 46, God once again says “Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried you since your birth. Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Do you see the themes coming out over and over again? God is the One to carry us and the One who rescues, sustains, and gives rest. Relationship with Him is pure joy. Don’t get me wrong; God is still a God of justice and wrath with un-repentance. But for those who accept Him, turn from sin, and accept relationship, He is the satisfaction we so deeply long for.
Today, “harden not your heart” and receive His goodness and offer of relationship. If you have been choosing sin instead of Him, rid yourself of it and come back to Him. God longs to give you the living water. Take time to pray after reading and even search the Scriptures for other examples of God’s compassion and rest. There are so many and I
know they will encourage your heart.