The Freedom of Being Completely Known by Jesus

Lord Jesus, I wish I could have been there to watch this stunned Samaritan woman recount the tale of her collision with the gospel—her story of meeting you and coming alive to the transforming power of grace (John 4:1–42). Water from Jacob’s well was superseded by the water you alone can give—the living water that flows from your heart to our uber-thirsty hearts.You exposed the depth of her need, not to blame and shame her; but to welcome, love, and redeem her. She expected judgment and condemnation, but instead you gave her mercy and grace. En route to the nations, you brought the gospel of the kingdom to the dark continent of her heart. Thank you for doing the same for us.

As she stood so vulnerable in the public square of her community, she’d never been so free. No more need to pose or pretend, squirm or spin, make excuses or make for the door. I wonder if some of the six men with whom she’d been heard her proclaim, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?”

Nothing but the gospel can free us for being thoroughly known without fear. Jesus, your love is unlike anything else we can experience in this life. In fact, your love is better than life itself. We adore and praise you this day as the Christ—the Messiah, our Advent Lord, the heart-knower, our holy lover, our righteousness from God, our only hope of glory!

You know every vain, foolish, and evil thought we’ve ever conceived; every lustful, greedy fantasy in which we’ve engaged. Only you hear every grace-robbing, grandstanding, gossipy word we speak. Only you know the broken cisterns of our choices—our idols, the many things to which we turn when you just don’t seem to be enough (perish the thought). Yet you pursue us, welcome us, and love us, and you are changing us. Hallelujah, on steroids!