Maybe you can relate to this story…
In John 4, the woman at the well had been in many relationships that didn’t work out.
She was disgraced, and at the well at the worst possible time of day, alone…
So… she could ENCOUTER Christ (not a coincidence).
In a short, but very personal and loving conversation…
He CHANGED her.
He loved her IN HER MESS…
Telling her what He knew of her and her situation.
Expecting to be shamed even more…
Christ FORGAVE her, and gave her HOPE!
He came into her life, where SHE was, as she was.
He spoke HOPE to her.
And she believed Him! (with no physical evidence)
This is the power of Christ!
He came to lift and encourage us…
To give us hope…
Not to condemn us and put us down.
We do that on our own, and then we stop believing He can overcome the despair we put ourselves into.
Notice when you are alone at the well…
Do you see Christ there?
Do you hear His words of hope and then believe them?
Do you enter into the relationship with Him?
**
Maybe you see yourself in this story…
In Luke 8:43-48, we read the story about the woman who had an issue of blood that had lasted many years.
After trying things the traditional way and using all her resources…
Still nothing worked.
She heard about Jesus Christ, and the miracles He had done…
I’m sure in her most desperate moments she wanted to give up…
After all she had done…
Yet, she was willing to try ONE MORE time…
Believe one more time…
Not seeing any of the miracles, and not even wanting to really be seen (maybe she feared this too would fail)…
She acted… and found her way to Christ through a large crowd…
And touched His garment.
Can you imagine what faith may have looked like to her? (small, desperate, uncertain, yet willing maybe)
Was despair and discouragement her constant companion for years…
And what was it that gave her the power to find Christ anyway?
When we grow in our relationship with Christ we find hope.
And that bit of hope, gives us the extra power we need to act ONE MORE time (again and again).
We reach out for His help with FAITH.
**
In Matthew 14: 22-33, Peter asks to come to Christ who is walking on water in a stormy sea.
Peter wanted to be with Christ so much He was willing to come to Him during a storm.
Are we willing to go to Christ during our storms?
Peter trusted Christ…
Do you TRUST Christ that much?
Yet, Peter took His eyes off Christ just for a moment, to look at his circumstances…
And immediately began sinking.
Do we take our eyes off Christ, do we doubt and fear, and begin to sink?
The only way Peter could walk on water was WITH CHRIST’s HELP!!
Are you facing a storm that wants to swallow you up?
Do you need Christ’s help? Is it the only way?
Are you willing to shut out the storm and keep your eyes firmly fixed on Him/ and the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, even if it doesn’t make sense right then…
Do you TRUST your relationship with Christ enough?
What do you need to do, let go of, or allow too build a stronger relationship with Christ?
**