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Due to weather conditions, all in-person daytime and evening programs have been canceled across the church’s locations for Wednesday, except for the Recovery programs and Food Pantry at Overland Park. Decisions for Thursday daytime programs will correspond with local school district decisions and will be posted on the church’s website.

IMPORTANT:

Scheduled programming has resumed for Thursday, February 13 at all Resurrection locations.

Prayer Tip--The Woman at the Well

January 26, 2025
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Daily Scripture

John 4:4-10

Jesus had to go through Samaria. He came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, which was near the land Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus was tired from his journey, so he sat down at the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me some water to drink.” His disciples had gone into the city to buy him some food. The Samaritan woman asked, “Why do you, a Jewish man, ask for something to drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (Jews and Samaritans didn’t associate with each other.) Jesus responded, “If you recognized God’s gift and who is saying to you, ‘Give me some water to drink,’ you would be asking him and he would give you living water.”

Daily Reflection & Prayer

Do you ever hesitate to pray because you don’t feel worthy of a conversation with God? Maybe you know that God sees you, and you worry that he can’t possibly want to hear from you in prayer. Why would God want a conversation with someone who has messed up? Why would God want to talk to someone who others avoid, judge, or don’t notice at all?

Today’s story, and the Scripture we will read in the GPS this week, give the perfect picture of how much God wants to talk to us, and how much he wants to give us what we need.

The Samaritan woman, coming to the well in the heat of the middle of the day, wasn’t someone her own community loved. Scholars say she would only come to the well in the hottest part of the day to avoid the other women who came to get the water for their families in the cooler parts of the desert day. Most likely, they disliked her and judged the way she was living and things she had done. Added to that, her ethnic background meant that, to Jews passing by, she was considered an unclean woman, someone to avoid, walk around, pretend you don’t see.

But Jesus comes straight to her an engages her in conversation. He lets her know that he knows all about her, but here he is, wanting to talk to her, to see her, to offer her the love and care and that God has for her, and her people. He looks right at her and declares himself to be the Messiah. He completely disregards the cultural differences that dictate that he must he pass her by. He offers her more than well water in the heat of the day. He gives her peace and understanding and forgiveness, the living water that never runs dry. From that conversation, many others came to learn about Jesus, have their own personal encounters and conversations, and receive the blessing of a new and eternal life.

We should never be afraid to come to God with our questions, our confessions, and our struggles to be the person Jesus showed us how to be. God sees us. God knows us. God wants to hear our voice in prayer and show us forgiveness, grace, and a better way.

Prayer

Lord God, please look at me the way you looked at the Samaritan woman at the well that day. See me, with all my mistakes and all my choices, good and bad. Help me to feel your love and grace and never be afraid to come to you in prayer. Amen.

GPS Insights

Picture of Jennifer Creagar

Jennifer Creagar

This week's Prayer Tip is by Jennifer Creagar who serves as the Community Assistance Coordination Director in Resurrection's Congregational Care Ministry. She is married and loves spending time with her family, and she enjoys writing and photography.

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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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