This past Sunday our pastor preached on John 4:1-42, the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman.
I love this passage. It shows how Jesus came to seek and save the lost, heal the broken, redeem the sick of heart----the most lost, the most broken, the sickest, the poorest . . . me.
Look at the barriers that Jesus knocked down to minister to the soul of this woman:
She was a woman . . . culturally inappropriate for a man to talk to a woman he did not know in public
She was a Samaritan . . . with whom the Jews did not associate
She was at the well at noon . . . she was shunned by her peers--shamed
She had been married five times and the man she lived with at that time was not her husband . . . she was immoral
Yet, Jesus, patiently, lovingly, without judgement draws her heart to his--even while pointing out the painful wounds of her sin.
Beautiful!!!
The part of this story that I am always drawn to is her response:
verse 28 says: "So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to people,"
She left her water jar.
She had journeyed to the well in the heat of the day with a "large earthenware pitcher, carried either on the shoulder or the hip." (ESV Study Bible)
It is like her trip to the well that day was symbolic of the burdens that she carried in her heart. She was alone, avoiding the scrutiny of her peers, hot, carrying a physically burdensome jar . . . and then she met Jesus.
After that conversation was over--she left her jar--almost like leaving her burdens behind
And then . . . Testimony
She was a shameful outcast in her town, but after she met Jesus she ran to town and told the people what Jesus did.
And they listened to her.
That is the power of a changed heart proclaiming the glorious riches of our amazing Savior!!!
verse 39 says "Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did."
Jesus used her as His tool to draw others to Himself. She was not spiritually educated before she went, or mature in her faith, nor did she have the ugly details of her life cleaned up.
She, simply, encountered the Savior of the world and was so excited that she broke out of her shameful existence and had to go tell the people of her town.
Amazing!!!
If we have been "saved by grace through faith" (Ephesians 2:8-9), we have a testimony to tell.
Do not for one second discount yours. How can any testimony of the work of God in the life of a sinner be less than glorious?!
It may be simple, it may have been a long time ago, it may be today. It may be the testimony of how you were first saved--or a testimony of God's grace as He has carried you through--or a testimony of what He has taught you today.
Leave your water jar . . . go tell!
The power and gentleness of the grace of Christ are absolutely amazing to me. God is so so good!
May I testify?
Deuteronomy 23:21 says, "If you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin."
I just read this a couple of days ago. This verse touched my heart. I think it means so much because it explains the great urgency within me in fulfilling a vow that we feel called by God to do . . . adopting.
Many years ago we considered adopting after facing the trials of infertility. We saw adoption as a way to build our family if we were unable to do so "naturally". Then we had our son, Nathan. For a time, adoption seemed like something that we still would like to do---in the future. Oh, how our hearts erred in even the consideration of adoption! This spring a new burden came upon us. Enough talk about "our future"! Action . . . now. Like the scales dropped from our eyes, we found ourselves compelled to act----or live in disobedience. Adoption is not for the purpose of building our family (though a gracious byproduct). Adoption is what Christ has done for us. Adoption is the Gospel. We are learning more and more what this is and means and looks like. The Spirit has just placed in us a great desire for obedience to the things that are important to the heart of God. Please, please do not be impressed with us. There is nothing to be impressed about. We are but filthy rags. We have not taken hold of it. We are nothing apart from Christ (John 15:5). There is nothing good in us (Romans 3:10). We point to Jesus Christ! He receives all glory and honor and praise! This is not about us. He must increase, we must decrease (John 3:30)
And so----we have lived in the whirlwind that is the "process" for the last few months.
June 30 our home study was approved!!! That is a huge milestone. The Lord willing, we may be able to learn who our child is----who is by God's sovereignty---already Young at heart----in just a few months. Absolutely blows my mind!
I beg you to pray. God is faithful. Your prayers are strength to the weary---beckoning the help of the Almighty.
We do need help. It is humbling and incredibly awkward to share this. I know it meets the eyes of those with differing opinions on the subject. However, if there is a stirring in your heart---I do not want my pride to be a barrier to a way that God may use to help see this process to fruition. I can assure you that I do not offer false humility or assumptions----I only look to God----many times with wavering trust----asking Him to move mountains. I do not know, but He does. My view is so limited, but His is full.
Here is a way to give:
Make checks payable to: Dillon International, Inc. (our adoption agency)
designate on the check: donation for Jeron and Kristine Young adoption
mail to: Dillon International, Inc
3227 East 31st Street, Suite 200
Tulsa, OK 74105
(unfortunately, because the check will be designated for a specific person, the donation can not be used as a charitable contribution, even though our agency is a non-profit--but this option does help us, in that the donation will not be counted as income for us)
Thank you so very much
