God’s Hope for Your Heart from John 4
JESUS CROSSED BOUNDARIES TO LOVE YOU
A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)
(John 4:7-9)
The Samaritan woman was shocked at Jesus’ request, perhaps even that He spoke to her in the first place.
The Jewish people of that day believed that those from Samaria were unclean, ungodly, immoral and wrong. They believed that sharing any physical contact with them or objects used by them would cause ceremonial uncleanness, something repulsive to a good Jew.
But Jesus crossed those boundaries.
Jesus wasn’t put off by the woman’s past or present lifestyle, because He saw her potential. He wasn’t repulsed by her uncleanness, because He knew He could make her clean. He wasn’t disgusted by her sin; He drew near to her for salvation.
He did the same for you and me.
Maybe you’ve been in the faith for a while, or maybe you came to Christ only recently. Maybe you grew up in the church or maybe you’re new to the whole thing. Regardless, it’s all-too-easy sometimes for us to see ourselves as we are and forget who and what and where we were before Jesus found us.
Always remember this: Jesus is holy and righteous, yet He entered in to a sinful world to redeem sinful people. Jesus looked at the stain of your sin and mine and instead of running away, He ran towards us to offer redemption.
This means that even now, when you find yourself in seasons where you feel separated from God by sin or shame in your life, you can have hope because of this truth: Jesus crossed boundaries to love you.
-Pastor Phillip
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