WAITING WITH A
BOX OF GIFT
The
scenario at Jacob well was very interesting and it is very relevant
to our Christian journey. Many times in our Christian life we have
done so many things in our attempt to seek the face of the Lord
concerning our needs. We seek Him through the scripture, through
prayer and fasting. We go a little further by living an exemplary
Christian life, waiting and hoping that heaven will soon smile on us
and receive the blessing He had earmarked for us. All these
approach are awesome and acceptable and are all in line with
biblical principles. But little did we know that at times, God
was in the path way of our lives with a box of gift to bless us.
Unfortunately, the irony of life is that He always wait for His
children where He is least expected. It takes spiritually sensitive
children of God to recognize Him that He is the one waiting for us
with blessing in His hands. He wouldn’t appear to you in a way that
is completely different from normal course of life, so that the
uncommon appearance will not in anyway influence your actions. But
He will surely test you in the simple basic principle of His words.
At
the Jacob well, heaven came down. Jesus Christ was sitting at the
well waiting for the Samaritan woman that had been earmarked for
heavenly blessing, to have one-on-one appointment with the Creator
of Universe. Perhaps the Samaritan woman got to the well, and
deliberately paid no attention to the man that was sitting by. No
greetings whatsoever as courtesy demanded. She was totally minding
her own business, so to say. She put her bucket into the well, in an
attempt to draw water. And Jesus Christ broke the silence and said
to the woman, “Give me to drink.” It was like when a father was
holding a box of chocolate and asks his little child that is eating
a tiny candy, ‘Son, can you give me that tiny little candy?’ As it
is expected, the child may decline because of his ignorance and
thereby hide the candy behind him, not realizing what was in store
for him in the unrevealed box behind his father. The simple act of
righteousness that Jesus Christ demanded from the Samarian woman was
to extend a little act of kindness to Him in exchange for the
unrevealed blessing He had for her. But she declined. She told
Jesus, You are Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me
for a drink?” Invariably, she was telling Jesus Christ, “You are out
of order! Do you not realize that we do not have anything in common?
Jesus Christ, a patient father shed more light on what He was about
to do to this woman He presented her another opportunity in order
that she may have a change mind as He said to her, “If you
understand the gift of God and also know who is asking you for a
drink, you would have asked Him for a living water, and would have
granted your request.” The woman replied, “You do not have anything
to draw water from the well; How can you give me a living water?”
Invariably she dismissed Jesus as a joker or someone who has nothing
to offer. It is like treating a person with disdain and tells him
off, “Get off my sight and do not disturb me.”
Jesus who knows man inside out did not let her unbecoming attitude
put Him off. He still persisted but now he began to unwrap the box
of His blessing as He declared, “Whosoever shall drink of this well
water shall thirst again, but whosoever drink out of the living
water that I will offer will never thirst again, because it shall
become a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” It was
like the Samaritan woman was saying to her self, “Wait a minute.
What am I going to loose by asking Him to give me living water? A
flood of understanding begin to unfold in her mind, and she said,
“Sir, give me this water that I thirst no more.” Then Jesus drew the
line. He did not say no to her request and did not promise her that
her request had been granted. He said, “Go call thy husband and come
together.” Invariably Jesus was indirectly telling her, much as I am
ready to give you the living water, your cup is dirty, and as a
result you need to deal with your dirty cup before asking for living
water. She told Him, I do not have husband. Jesus confirmed that the
one she was living with was not her husband because previously she
had had five husbands. She was shocked with the revelation of this
secret, that perhaps, was only known to her. Your hidden sins are
not hidden, they are made bare to God your Creator. Jesus declared
His identity to the woman. Then she fully understood the personality
of Jesus Christ. She was overwhelmed with the understanding. She
could not contain the knowledge with her alone. She went abroad
telling all people, “Come, see a man who told me every thing I ever
did. Could this be Christ?”
This
is the season of decision making. Many people had made resolution to
approach the presence of God, hoping and waiting to receive from
God. Has it ever crossed your mind that in the normal course
of your journey this year that God may pay you an unexpected
one-on-one visit to meet those needs? You can bet that He
would not appear to you as a big man in order that you may accord
Him with your humility and respect. He is not going to appear
to you as an old man so that you will not because of this extended
your own self-styled pity. Perhaps He came to you like an ordinary
man or woman in the course of your journey. Perhaps he appears to
you as a stranger from the ethnic back-ground of the people that you
have a lot resentment towards to test your faith. Expectedly and
naturally, you may feel tempted to react in an unfriendly manner
towards Him like the Samaritan woman. Are you ready to meet Him in
righteousness and in a right attitude?
The
Samaritan woman was not a spiritual neophyte. She knew the
scripture; she had hope that the Messiah was coming. Perhaps she was
one of the multitudes that were waiting for Him. The Messiah paid
her unexpected visit but could not meet her needs because she was
not spiritually ready in a righteous attitude to receive the
blessing of the Lord. God did not inform Abraham that He was coming
to visit Him. Abraham was relaxing in one afternoon under a Mamre
tree, and he saw three strangers passing by. He ran to meet them and
invited them in his dwelling place. He lavishly entertained them
without knowing that he was entertaining the Host of Heaven. All his
exceptionally beautiful attitude, generosity and kindness did not go
in vain. Although in their old age when the hope of having a child
was already lost, God remembered Abraham in His mercy and blessed
him with the desire of his heart. Even if God do not appear to you
personally, every blessing that will comes your way on earth
originate from the divine connection He established to meet your
need. A right relationship with God and a right attitude with others
and a token of kindness towards others is what you need to prepare
you for receiving your blessing in this season. He will surely pass
by your way at His own appointed time. Therefore, be prepared!
Michael A. Eleyinafe
