January 30, 2002
A Woman Exposed
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 live with 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 fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
John 4:16-19
For just a short while, lets look, not at the Savior’s eyes, but at the woman’s eyes. What do you see? There she is exposed! What do you see? Pain? Hurt? Fear? Maybe you see shame. Have you ever been ashamed? Have you ever felt exposed? Have you ever felt like you were not worthy to be allowed to live? Could that be how she felt? What about hopeless? Could that have been a part of it? After all, this one who had promised that she would never thirst again has just told her the hidden sin in her life. Have you ever felt like that woman? Have you ever felt laid bare and at the mercy of the Savior or those around you? Shift your view from her eyes to his. What do you see there? Knowledge? This was known to him from the very beginning of the encounter. In fact, he had know this about her before he had ever met her at the well. This meeting was not chance. The Savior arranged it. Now, why would he arrange a meeting just to leave her exposed? Why would he arrange a meeting that would lead her to shame and pain? He did not!!! Wait, did I not just say that he arranged and planned this meeting? Yes, I did. However, he did not do this to leave her in her shame, exposed for all to see. In the Savior’s eyes, you see love. You see love that leads to repentance. He felt her shame and stood there willing to take it from her. He knew every deep dark thing about her, even her hidden thoughts. Yet, he loved her. He loved her enough to lay down his life for her. Does this sound familiar? He did this for you. He knows everything that you believe is hidden and yet he loves you. He says to you to ask him for that forgiveness that restores and does not leave in shame. Come, look at his eyes and accept that healing from shame.
Father, I praise you that for this instant, we see this woman in all her shame. I praise you that we see the eyes of the Savior, not in judgment, but in love. I praise you that you forgive all sins by the blood of Jesus, even those that we believe have been hidden from all. Father, let us understand that there is no need to hide anything. Reveal to us, that in Jesus, there is no shame. Lord, you remove that shame and replace it with your glory, in Jesus name, amen.
All rights reserved: Amy Seelbach
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