John 4:15-26

1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 min)

2) Scripture Reading - John 4:15-26
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

3) Devotional
The women at the well believed that she was conversing with a kind Jewish man, and she was right. Jesus is kind but in this passage He also proves to be a good listener and one who speaks the truth in love. But Jesus is so much more. He also reveals himself as a prophet and as the Messiah. He is the only one who can provide the Samaritan women with “living water” so that should would thirst no more.

Sometimes when I speak to Jesus, I forget who He is. I forget that He is my “ Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). I talk to Him as the one who can fix my problems, and He can do that. But I have come to realize that He is so much more than that.

Many times I need some perspective when I talk to Jesus. I need to realize that He created me, He gives me purpose and He is preparing a place for me in His heaven. Compared to these things, how big are my problems? I guess that there is not much difference between me and the woman at the well. We are both too wrapped up in the here and now and too wrapped in our own problems to realize who it is we speak to.

4) Questions to Consider
Do you need to change your perspective?

5) Prayer
Lord, Please forgive me when I don’t give you the respect that you are due, when I treat you like my own personal problem solver and when I don’t recognize you as the Creator God that you are. May I realize that you are sovereign over all things, even my circumstances. Thank you for loving me and providing for my every need. In Jesus name I pray these things, Amen.  

John 3:22-30

1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 min)


2) Scripture Reading: John 3:22-30 (click to listen)
²² After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. ²³ Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. ²⁴ (This was before John was put in prison.) ²⁵ An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. ²⁶ They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
 ²⁷ To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ ²⁹ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. ³⁰ He must become greater; I must become less.”


3) Devotional
Experiencing loss confronts us with our humanity and our limits.  We quickly realize we are not in control of our lives.  God is.  We are simply creatures, not the Creator.
Consider the example of John the Baptist.  Crowds that formerly followed John for baptism switched their allegiances once Jesus began his ministry. They began leaving John to follow Jesus.  Some of John's followers were upset about this dramatic turn of events.  They complained to him, "Everyone is going with him" (John 3:26).


John understood limits and replied "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven" (John 3:27).  he was able to accept his limits, his humanity, and his declining popularity and say, "He must increase, I must decrease" (John 3:30).


Getting off our thrones and joining the rest of humanity is a must for spiritual maturity.  We are not the center of the universe.  The universe does not revolve around us.


Yet a part of us hates limits.  We won't accept them.  This is one the primary reasons grieving our loss' biblically is such an indispensable part of spiritual maturity.


Embracing our limits humbles us like little else.


4) Questions to Consider
Name one or two limits God has placed in your life today as a gift.


5) Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the arrogance that sees interruptions to my plans as alien invasions.  Forgive me for constantly trying to do more than you intend with my life.  And help me to be like John the Baptist, embracing my losses and respecting my limits.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.


6) Conclude with Silence (2 min)


- today's devotional comes from "Begin the Journey with the Daily Office" by Pete Scazzero