Week beginning 30th July

 

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious.

Psalm 66, verses 1 and 2

Song: To God be the glory

To God Be The Glory ( Royal Albert Hall, London) - YouTube

Reading: John’s gospel, chapter 4, verses 1 to 42

Song: As the deer pants for the water

♬ As The Deer - Virtual Choir Worship Song - YouTube

God of all peoples,
just as Jesus and his disciples journeyed through Samaria to reach their appointed destination;
teach us to how to walk through strange, foreign places,
how to meet people different from ourselves—
that they we might say to them "come and see".
You bypass no one; in this may we follow you.

May we also be like the Samaritan woman: willing to examine our lives in Jesus’ presence
that we may continue to true worshippers of the Father in spirit and in truth,
that we may share with those we know what it is like to meet with Jesus.
The truth revealed her faults, yet liberated the unnamed woman.
This Lent, may your truth reveal us to ourselves and set us free in you.

God of the nations, lead and direct so that truth and truthfulness may direct our leaders, inform our nation, govern our business and our everyday lives, that we may live in justice and peace together.

Give us and all who thirst for you that living water of your Spirit:
water of refreshment,
water of healing,
water of cleansing,
water of life.

Amen.

From nottoomuch.com

Song: Come thou fount of every blessing

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing - Chris Rice (worship song with lyrics) - YouTube

In this hymn the phrase “Here I raise my Ebenezer” is a reference to Samuel. He raised his Ebenezer, or stone of help, to commemorate how much the Lord had helped the people to get this far. Some modern hymn books use the phrase “Greatest treasure”

A young man had an acquaintance at school. Someone he knew at a distance, but did not really know well. After school, they went their separate ways, he went to college, the other went to an apprenticeship. Some time later, the acquaintance started calling at his house and talking, at first for a few minutes, but as time went by, for longer. The visits got more frequent and as the visitor talked, he would listen to him on the step. These rather one-sided conversations started to become something of a burden. The young man even sometimes asked his parents to say he was not in! But usually he would listen, and even invited the visitor in.

He was what you might call a “reluctant friend”.

Jesus can be like that. He is tolerant of us, and will listen politely, even when we run on a bit. Even when we irritate him. Does this resonate with you?

Jesus had every reason to be a bit distant with the Samaritan woman, to be a reluctant friend. But he was not. He was eager. He wanted to offer her salvation. Uncharacteristically for a Jew, he was travelling through Samaria. He reached Sychar, and sat down at the well. This is not familiar to modern, western minds. Most of us do not have a well. Perhaps you do, perhaps the daily (or more often) ritual of meeting at the well to draw water is familiar to you?

There were barriers to establishing conversation. It was not seemly for a woman to talk to a man, especially a rabbi. She was a Samaritan.

Historically, the Samaritans had intermarried with other races. Unlike the Jews who had married within themselves. They were seen as “half bloods” to use a modern, uncomplimentary, term. A modern parallel might be familiar to readers and viewers of the Harry Potter books and films, where certain “pure blood” wizards saw themselves as better than the “mudbloods”

Jesus should have moved away from her.

Another barrier was that midday was not the time to draw water. Was she an outcast for some reason. Much has been speculated on this subject, but little is known.

Jesus knew these barriers. But in spite of this, he treats her with respect. He listens. He asks for help, and draws near to her. Jesus was Eager, not reluctant, he went out of his way, and undoubtedly took a risk.

The barriers exist today, and are different for each one of us. But Jesus is eager to make himself known.

In a relatively shore time, the woman’s perception changed from a dismissive “You’re a Jew”, to “You’re the Messiah”.

It’s a bit like climbing a hill, it seems to go on forever, but eventually the summit is reached, the view is seen, and the reason for the climb is apparent.

Jesus leads the woman up the hill, and she sees who he is. He is not just a Jewish man, he is someone really special.

Eventually, he leads her to see that worship is not just a matter of where, but that it should be “in spirit and truth”. He is really saying that the temple is becoming irrelevant, and he is saying this, not to the religious hierarchy, but to a marginalised Samaritan woman.

Christianity is a relationship, not a religion. This transforms the woman.

Jesus is eager to do his father’s will. The long hidden mystery is revealed. His work is his food.

Jesus, the eager saviour, not the reluctant friend.

Song: There is a redeemer

There Is A Redeemer Praise and Harmony Singers - YouTube

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Letter to the Hebrews, chapter 4, verse 16