John 4, John 17:25-26

Deborah Mitchell considers the free gift offered to us by Jesus, whatever our background.

Deborah Mitchell

I have a friend who has just been laid off and is looking for work. He is applying for everything he possibly can. To apply for a job he has to submit his CV containing his qualifications and work experience. However, he has had quite a lot of knock backs because he doesn't quite fit the criteria, or someone is better qualified. I am sure he will eventually get the perfect job for him as he continues in his endeavour.

God's kingdom is not like the world; you don't have to have the right CV or lifestyle to qualify.

This is plainly shown with the woman at the well in John chapter four. She had many things against her. She had been married five times and the man she was living with was not her husband. She was a Samaritan, considered by the Jews to be beneath them. But Jesus still engaged with her, even when it was improper for him to speak to a woman outside his family. He asked her for a drink and she was shocked. "Why are you talking to me a Samaritan?" Jesus ignored her perceived prejudice and kept to the same topic of water, telling her that if she knew who He was, she would ask Him for a drink and He would give her living water, and that she would never thirst again. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit, using water as a natural means to explain a spiritual truth. He let this woman know that He knew all about her and that it did not disqualify her; she just needed to ask and believe.

I find it interesting that He said to her, if you knew the gift I am, or who I am, you would ask. I think we don't sometimes have an understanding of how much God desires us to be in relationship with Him and know who He is. He told the woman that the Father desired worshipers who would worship in Spirit and in truth. The key thing here is that He is looking for worshipers, not worship. When we even get a glimpse of who He really is, we cannot help but love Him and desire to know Him more.

I believe we all worship something. It can be our job, money, husband, wife, or children - even ourselves. The list is endless. God desires us to worship and be dependent on Him. Once you have tasted God and seen that He is good, nothing else will satisfy. His desire is for us to worship Him in Spirit and in truth.

Jesus revealed the Father's heart to the world (John 17:25-26). He will fill us with His love, His eternal living water. God sits at the well of our lives, offering us His eternal spirit. God doesn't look at our CV's, He sees beyond that. The Samaritan woman believed, threw her water jar down, ran to the village and told everyone about Jesus. This was not a godly woman, she had a bad reputation in the village, so they knew something major had happened to her to have her talking about God. Through her testimony they all came to hear what Jesus had to say. She saw the whole village get saved, yet she looked the most unlikely candidate for the job.

He accepts us, but will we accept Him? All we need to do is acknowledge He is the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of the living God, and ask Him for living water - His Holy Spirit to live in us. That's all you need to do to qualify. As we worship Him, He will lead us into all truth.