Better Thingsنموونە

If anyone knows what it’s like to feel rejected, it’s Adam, Eve, and the Samaritan woman in John 4. In the case of Adam and Eve, can you imagine the way they felt when they heard God walking in the garden directly after their disobedience? In a desperate effort to avoid rejection, they hid in the garden.

In the case of the Samaritan woman, she was intentional to draw water from the well at a time when she knew no one else would be there. She had been married to five men, and she was living with another man to whom she was not married. However, she was now face-to-face with the seventh man, Jesus. Throughout Scripture, the number seven symbolizes completion, and the Samaritan woman was about to discover the acceptance and belonging that she had been searching for her entire life. Throughout her conversation with Jesus, she finds three components of her life that didn’t disqualify her from being accepted by Him. These components are also true for us today:

1. Heritage: In this era, the Jews hated the Samaritans because they believed they didn’t have a pure lineage. Jesus’ Jewish disciples wanted to avoid going through Samaria, but Jesus was intentional in addressing prejudice head-on. Just like the Samaritan woman, your heritage (race, family lineage, etc.) is not a barrier to God’s acceptance.

2. Hesitancy: The Samaritan woman was not immediately receptive to Jesus. However, that did not deter Him from pursuing her, and it does not deter Him from pursuing us. Talk to God about your doubts, fears, and insecurities, and allow Him to minister to you.

3. History: There’s no denying it, the Samaritan woman had a past. Sexual sin was a glaring part of her story, but that did not stop Jesus from welcoming her with open arms. In the same way, God chooses to forgive your sin and shortcomings the moment you place your faith in Him.

Big Idea: There is nothing about you that will make God reject you.

Reflection Questions:

1. What is one thing from today’s devotional that jumped out to you?

2. Can you identify with the feeling of being rejected by family, friends, or even God? How does Jesus’ finished work on the cross give you hope in that area?

3. Who is someone that you can encourage with this, and how can you encourage them?