Gospel of John Student DevotionalНамуна

In John 4:27-54 we encounter three stories centered on Jesus. Jesus with the Samaritan woman, The Samaritan woman’s testimony, and lastly Jesus saving a royal official’s son.

First, imagine what Jesus’s disciples were thinking when they saw him talking with a woman, a Samaritan, a sinner. Traditionally Jewish men were not supposed to talk to women, let alone a Samaritan woman who has had five husbands. Yet none of Jesus’s disciples questioned him. However, they did urge him to eat, to which Jesus replied “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work”- “Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest’”(4:34) The harvest was a of huge importance each year, so picture how crazy Jesus must have sounded saying they were ready four months early.

One thing this is teaching us is to trust in God, for He will provide. All of Jesus’s disciples were so worried about him, and worried that he had not gotten anything to eat. They were worrying about the future and worrying about their friend. But Jesus reminded them that all they need is to trust in God, and not worry about what is to come next, as He will provide.

The next two stories are a good reminder to not only trust in God, but to believe without seeing. After the woman ran into town she said, “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did.” (4:29) The woman then told the people her testimony and they started to believe because they heard about the savior. When we share our testimony, it can plant a seed in the people around us and start them on the path of Jesus.

After a couple days Jesus left for Galilee. He meets a royal official whose son was near death. Jesus told him to go back home and his son will live. The man returned home and his son was alive and well. This led him and his whole household to believe in Jesus. The miracle of the son's healing reminds us to believe in Jesus’s power even when we cannot see immediate evidence.

Believing in things not yet seen, is the basis for faith. In what areas of your life have you had to have faith?