Jewels From JohnSample

The One Who Perceives But Still Pardons 

The woman of Samaria said, “Come see a man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” John 4:29 (NKJV)

(Read John 4: 4-42 for the entire account)

The woman of Samaria had no clue whom she would encounter on that eventful afternoon as she came to draw water from Jacob’s well. What seemed to be a casual request from Jesus for a drink of water developed into a deep dialogue where the Samaritan woman realized who Jesus was, and also the fact that He knew all about her.

Initially she must have been shocked when Jesus revealed that He was aware of the five husbands she had earlier, and also about the man she was living with, who was not her husband. There must have been something about the way Jesus spoke to her that caused her not to be embarrassed, scared and withdrawn, but to feel overjoyed at the thought that she had actually met the Messiah; and with this thought she ran to invite the entire village to come and meet Jesus Christ. The outcome was amazing. “And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, 'He told me all that I ever did.'" John 4:39 (NKJV)

Many of us may have secrets from the past or the present, which we have never disclosed to anyone. Many people are living with a deep sense of regret and guilt, as they don’t really know how to handle these issues, and so carry with them a heavy burden of guilt and shame. Some of the reasons people never open up to others is the fear of being betrayed, gossiped about, taken advantage of, belittled, blackmailed  or the fear they won't be forgiven.

But here’s wonderful news—though the Lord discerns everything about us, knows our inmost thoughts and struggles, knows every secret sin that we have hidden from everyone else—still He stands with wide open arms of love to welcome us, accept us, forgive us and totally rid us of all the burdens of guilt and shame, if we will just come to Him. That is the reason Jesus died on the cross; to take upon Himself all of our transgressions, and to give us freedom from sin and an abundantly joyful life.

Here's the Lord’s reassurance for us in Hebrew 8:12: “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no more.”