There came a woman of Samaria to draw water… (Jesus said to her), “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” John 4:7–10
Lord Jesus, you spoke these words of hope to a broken woman trying her very best to keep her distance from you. The more she tried to evade your gaze, the more you simply poured out your grace. She ran; you pursued. She danced around; you stopped the music. Hallelujah, you’ve done the same for us. Do it again and again.
Though the details of our stories differ from hers, we too play hide and seek from you. We’re the hiders; but you’re the Seeker, and (thankfully) the Finder. Jesus, please heal our grace allergies—our fear of admitting our needs you alone can meet.
Why we choose broken cisterns, dumb idols, and self-help over your love is sheer madness. Grace is for sinners; not for pretenders, posers, and performers. You intend to heal us, not harm us; embrace us, not embarrass us; succor us with compassion, not shame us with contempt. Thank you.
On this July Wednesday, we bring you our grace-thirst. We admit our penchant for avoiding you. We grieve our allergic reactions to the Gospel. We bring our excuse-making, blame-shifting, need-minimizing selves. Free us the way you freed the Samaritan woman—no matter our sins, foolishness, hardness, weariness.
Grant us a fresh imbibing of the living water you freely give thirsty ones. No other water, beverage, or libation will do—only your grace. So very Amen we pray, in your welcoming and generous name.