The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in John 4:4-8,
"Now he [Jesus] had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Will you give me a drink?' (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)"
Perhaps there is something here that gets overlooked at times: Jesus experienced the same physical challenges in this life as we all do. In the above selection of verses we see that Jesus got tired from his walk from Judea into Samaria. He also got thirsty (hence, his request for a drink of water) and, no doubt, hungry as well - as he had sent his disciples into town to get food.
On a side note, with reference to sending his disciples into town for food, why would he do that when he was the one who fed 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves of bread? (See Matthew 14:13-21.) Answering this question helps us understand Jesus' use of miracles. He didn't always perform them and they were purposeful as expressions he desired to communicate.
In any event, we are told in Philippians 2:6-7, "Who [Christ Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." This human likeness extended to his experiences here, becoming acquainted with the physical shortcomings our existence is marked by, as well as suffering the common challenges we all do, in terms of hunger, pain, thirst, fatigue, etc.
Further, we are told in Hebrews 2:17-18, "For this reason he [Jesus] had to be made like them [God's children], fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." Jesus experienced the struggle we all face against sin. However, in his case, he has been the only one able to resist the temptations of sin perfectly.
"Now he [Jesus] had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Will you give me a drink?' (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)"
Perhaps there is something here that gets overlooked at times: Jesus experienced the same physical challenges in this life as we all do. In the above selection of verses we see that Jesus got tired from his walk from Judea into Samaria. He also got thirsty (hence, his request for a drink of water) and, no doubt, hungry as well - as he had sent his disciples into town to get food.
On a side note, with reference to sending his disciples into town for food, why would he do that when he was the one who fed 5,000 people with two fish and five loaves of bread? (See Matthew 14:13-21.) Answering this question helps us understand Jesus' use of miracles. He didn't always perform them and they were purposeful as expressions he desired to communicate.
In any event, we are told in Philippians 2:6-7, "Who [Christ Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." This human likeness extended to his experiences here, becoming acquainted with the physical shortcomings our existence is marked by, as well as suffering the common challenges we all do, in terms of hunger, pain, thirst, fatigue, etc.
Further, we are told in Hebrews 2:17-18, "For this reason he [Jesus] had to be made like them [God's children], fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." Jesus experienced the struggle we all face against sin. However, in his case, he has been the only one able to resist the temptations of sin perfectly.
No one on judgment day will be able to say, "You don't know what it was like..."
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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