The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 4:27,
"Just then his [Jesus'] disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, 'What do you want?' or 'Why are you talking with her?'"
While returning to Galilee from Judea, Jesus and his disciples took the road that led through Samaria. As they came to Sychar, where nearby was Jacob's well, Jesus, being tired from the journey, sat down at the well while his disciples went into town to look for food. A Samaritan woman came to draw water and Jesus engaged her in a dialog that was aimed at revealing himself to her (and through her to the local Samaritans) as the Messiah.
When Jesus' disciples returned from town, they were surprised to find Jesus talking with her. We read in verse 9, "The Samaritan woman said to him, 'You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?' (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)" Consequently, we read in verse 27, "Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, 'What do you want?' or 'Why are you talking with her?'" Clearly Jesus' disciples were unaware of his plans and intentions toward the Samaritans at this time (and probably with any outside the Jewish people). This would come later.
This speaks to me of the progressive nature of the Lord's agenda of the redemption of mankind. The whole of it has not been something that was delivered in full on a single occasion, but has come to us progressively over time. It began in the garden of Eden and continues to unfold until the end of the age. The Scriptures themselves were delivered to man in the very same way. Taking over 1,400 years and forty-some authors, the Lord's revelation to us has been a progressive and an accumulated delivery to us over time.
I sense this is a part of the Lord's nature. He knows we are small in every way compared to him and he often brings us along a step at a time. Might he be engaged in our lives in a similar way? Is he busy building us into what we need to become, a building block at a time, piece by piece? I see a hint of that in the reprimand of Hebrews 5:12-14, "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."
"Just then his [Jesus'] disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, 'What do you want?' or 'Why are you talking with her?'"
While returning to Galilee from Judea, Jesus and his disciples took the road that led through Samaria. As they came to Sychar, where nearby was Jacob's well, Jesus, being tired from the journey, sat down at the well while his disciples went into town to look for food. A Samaritan woman came to draw water and Jesus engaged her in a dialog that was aimed at revealing himself to her (and through her to the local Samaritans) as the Messiah.
When Jesus' disciples returned from town, they were surprised to find Jesus talking with her. We read in verse 9, "The Samaritan woman said to him, 'You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?' (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)" Consequently, we read in verse 27, "Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, 'What do you want?' or 'Why are you talking with her?'" Clearly Jesus' disciples were unaware of his plans and intentions toward the Samaritans at this time (and probably with any outside the Jewish people). This would come later.
This speaks to me of the progressive nature of the Lord's agenda of the redemption of mankind. The whole of it has not been something that was delivered in full on a single occasion, but has come to us progressively over time. It began in the garden of Eden and continues to unfold until the end of the age. The Scriptures themselves were delivered to man in the very same way. Taking over 1,400 years and forty-some authors, the Lord's revelation to us has been a progressive and an accumulated delivery to us over time.
I sense this is a part of the Lord's nature. He knows we are small in every way compared to him and he often brings us along a step at a time. Might he be engaged in our lives in a similar way? Is he busy building us into what we need to become, a building block at a time, piece by piece? I see a hint of that in the reprimand of Hebrews 5:12-14, "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."
What might the Lord be doing in our lives in a progressive way today?
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 reply and let me know.
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 reply and let me know.
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