Well, today I just
didn't have time to type in parts of my journal, so I'm substituting some stories I wrote a while back to go with
today's gifts post. Hope you don't mind! :D
---------------------------------------------
The Surprised Woman
Author's Note:
Below is the story of the woman at the well, taken from John 4:5-42. I'm sure you've heard of her, if you haven't, well then you should read the story before reading this! While you're reading, remember the bottom line of the story: God Loves You, Whoever You Are. Enjoy, and God Bless.
———————
Tamar slowly walked down to the well, carrying her empty water jar. The day, a hot windy one, had passed quickly as she did her regular household chores. Even though the sun was falling in the sky, making the tree leaves along the path shine like gold, she didn't notice the beauty. Her heart felt like lead as she thought of all the sin she had done in the past.
Isn't there a better way? She though,
surely somehow, somewhere, I can learn how to be better. Her eyes filled with tears, and she stumbled along, her burden too much for her to bear. Before she knew it, the well came in view.
The usual crowd of women and girls were grouped around the well, and Tamar held back to wait until the crowd dispersed to draw her share. She didn't want those names—ugly, horrible names—to be thrown in her face more than she could help it.
Squatting down by the roadside, she half-way hid behind a bush and waited for the crowd to split up. Finally they did, and she crept to the well to draw her water. Just as she was lowering the bucket, a soft voice behind her suddenly spoke, “Could I please have a drink?” Startled, she dropped the bucket. It bounced against the rock walls of the well, and a final splash told her that it had hit the water. Whirling to face the man, she stared in His face for a moment, then dropped her eyes. He was a righteous man—His face, serene and calm, His eyes, gentle and kind, and His voice—sweet and not at all condemning.
What should I do? She thought,
this man is righteous, and I—I am one of the worst sinners in the world!
“I—I can get you s—some water,” she stammered, her voice cracking. “But why do you, a Jew, ask from me, a Samaritan, a drink? You know that you Jews have nothing to do with us!”
“If you knew what God has given you,” the Stranger quietly said, “And who said, 'Could I please have a drink' to you; you would have asked from him, and he would have given you
living water!”
“You don't have anything to draw up water with,” Tamar answered bitterly. “The well is deep. How can
you get this 'living water'? Where does it come from?”
Gently, the Stranger tried to explain. “Whoever drinks of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks of the water I give them, they will never thirst again.”
“Sir, give me this amazing water,” Tamar exclaimed, “Then I'll never have to come down to this well again to draw water!”
“Go, call your husband,” the Stranger instructed Tamar.
Fear gripped her heart. How could she tell this Man, this absolute Stranger, that she had no husband? Yes, she had had a husband before, but—but what would happen if she told Him that she didn't have one and He questioned her? “I—I don't have a—a husband,” she stammered, panic in her voice.
“You are right when you say you have no husband,” The Stranger said, “In fact, however, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.”
“Sir,” Tamar said, stumbling over her words, her heart a bundle of fear.
How could this man know so much about me? She wondered,
I wonder how he could find out. Maybe he talked to the other women here at the well. Continuing, she said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
The Stranger was speaking again. “Woman, 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 worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Tamar slowly said, “I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
The Stranger tenderly stated, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
Tamar reeled under the thought. This man, this righteous man, was the Messiah! She wanted to believe it—to believe that this truly was the Person so many people had waited for—that she, Tamar, the most evil woman in all of Samaria, was face-to face with the Messiah.
Suddenly, joy erupted from her heart, and racing off to the city, she joyfully shouted to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. He is the Messiah, He said so Himself!” Soon many townspeople were pouring out the gates of the city, and Jesus ministered to all.
———————
I'll leave them to a happy ending. Need I say that Tamar's life and the lives of those cityfolk changed for the better? The Bible says, “
Many...believed because of His...word[s].” God can take the most sinful people, and make them better people. They only have to “
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and [they will] be saved.” (Acts 16:31). Even if you are a terrible sinner (and I am), He can and will take your sin and wash you “
White as snow; though [your sins] be red like crimson, they shall be [as white] as wool.” (Isaiah 1:18). Jesus takes all your sins on Himself, and you are left with a clean sheet. You only have to confess that you are a sinner (telling Him all the wrong things you have done), believe that He has taken them from you, and strive to be a true Jewel of Jesus. The best way to be a Jewel is to reflect Him—His person in general. Be like a moon, that reflects a few of the Sun's rays, and He will give you a crown of life. All glory to King Jesus!
Trying to be a moon of the Son,
~Esther
Jonah (a story of his adventures)
The day was dawning bright and clear as Jonah stepped from his humble cottage by the sea. As a prophet in Israel, one of his many jobs was to keep alive the old traditions of their fathers-Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and keeping the commandments of God alive at that time [aprox. 793-753 B.C.] was extremely difficult. He sighed. The people were not following the Lord their God as they should be-the idols they worshipped were much easier to follow. How would he be able to impress into the hearts of the people that the Lord God of Israel did not want them to follow idols? As the ten commandments said, “Thou shalt not have any other gods before me.”
Sighing again, he gazed off across the sea where the sun was just rising. Streaks of red, orange, and purple streaked the sky, were only moments before white clouds had lazily drifted. He thought of this morning, when, on his knees, God had told him to do a hard job. Questions buzzed around his head like a swarm of bees whose nest has been disturbed. Why did God want him to go to Nineveh, of all places? He could just as well preach to the people here,-couldn't he? Let the Syrians die! They had caused the Israelites trouble already, being one of the worst enemies of Israel. Wasn't there a way that he could go somewhere else for a while? Sighing, he turned and entered the small doorway to his hut to pack provisions. It would be a long journey.
Several hours later found Jonah by the docks. A ship from Tarshish was docked there, as Joppa was one of the trade towns along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Glancing around for the captain, he noticed the neatly-stacked barrels and boxes along the wharf. Men were hurrying here and there, captains, crew members, and servants. Finding the captain of the Tarshish boat, he asked if “Sir would be so kind as to take me to Tarshish?” The captain agreed, and they were soon on their way.
Jonah was tired, so the kind captain told him that he could sleep in the hold. As he climbed down into there, the smell of grain wafted up and enveloped him. Soon falling fast asleep by the gentle slapping of water against the ship, Jonah was startled awake by the captain's commanding voice calling out, “JONAH!” Immediately awake, he soon became aware that instead of gentle rolling, he was being thrown around, and that a little bit of water was in the hold. “JONAH!” the voice had become a shout against the storm. Jonah looked up into the frightened face of the captain.
“Wh..wh..what is it?” Jonah feebly stammered, fear written on his face. What had he done?
“Jonah, ask your god to stop the storm! If he does not, we will perish!” the captain bellowed, adding to the tumult of crashing waves above them.
Jonah rolled over and got on his knees obediently. He knew why he was there, he was hiding from his God. After a little, he stood as well as he could in the tossing ship.
“Captain, only my God can stop the storm” Jonah said, gathering as much courage as possible.
As Jonah followed the captain to the pitching and rolling deck, he noticed the crew throwing boxes, bags, and chests into the tempests to no avail.
“Come, let's cast lots,” (a olden-time method of deciding) one of the crew members said, “So that we may know who caused us this evil.” So they cast lots, and Jonah was taken. And the crew said to him, “What is you occupation? And were are you from? What is your country?”
And Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who has made the sea and the dry land.”
Then the crew were afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this to us? So that the sea will be quiet.” (Jonah had told them why he was going)
“Pick me up, and throw me into the sea, so that it will be calm, for I know that it is because of me that we are in this storm.” Jonah said, with a tinge of regret.
The crew looked at him as if he had become mad. “Yes,” Jonah said with conviction, “If one man can die to save a ship, I'll do it. I was the one that brought this storm on us, anyway.” As the crew talked among themselves, Jonah prayed. Finally the captain came over to Jonah and said, “My men will try to row to shore. If they don't succeed..” he left the sentence unfinished, but the meaning was clear. Jonah shivered, but didn't say a word.
After rowing against the storm, the men gave up. Gathering around Jonah, they looked sadly at him, regretting the time when they would have to throw him over.
As he hit the water with a splash and fell out of sight, the sea became calm, and only a slight breeze lifted the sails.
Almost as soon as Jonah disappeared into the great depths, he saw a looming mouth which he all but floated into. There was a gulp, and he was propelled with a gush of water into great darkness. His shoulder hit a side of the fish, (by now he had figured that out) and his hand touched a slimy, gooey substance which stuck to his hand. Pulling it back quickly, he tried to brush it off, but the goo stuck to his other hand, his clothes, and his legs and feet. The smell was unbearable, rotting flesh, salty-fishy water, and stomach juices.
Within three days, Jonah was sick and tired of the place, praying for relief, ready for a change. (Wouldn't YOU be tired of it?) With relief, he heard a “thump” and was suddenly shot out of the big fishes stomach. Landing on a sandy seashore, he quickly put his hand over his eyes in an attempt to shut out the bright sunlight. (you must remember he hadn't seen anything but blackness for three days) His eyes slowly adjusted, and he was soon able to make out where he was. Slowly rising, he stretched himself for the first time in three days. Now to find Nineveh! He would most willingly go now!
Entering Nineveh, Jonah was astounded at the amount of gods, images, and temples that were on the streets. Jonah started crying: “Just forty days, and Nineveh will be overthrown!” Then the people of Nineveh believed God's word, and everyone fasted.
Even the king of Nineveh fasted, he got off his throne, took his royal robe off, and fasted. Then the king proclaimed and decreed to all the Ninevites, “Let not man, beast, herd or flock, taste anything; let them not eat or drink, but let them fast, and let them cry very loudly to God because of their sins. Who can tell if God will repent, and turn away from his anger, so that we will not perish?” Then God saw that they were sorry, and he repented of the thing he said he would do to them.
Jonah was angry, because these were his enemies, they were saved alive, they now could become a strong nation, and over-power his own people! So he prayed to his God, and said; “God, please kill me, because it is better for me to live than to die.”
Then God said in his still, small voice, “Do you do well to be angry?”
Jonah, angry, went out of the city, sat down, and made himself a shade and sat under the shade to see what would become of the city, Nineveh. Then God planted a seed, and it grew, and provided shade for Jonah. And Jonah was glad because the plant gave him shade. In the morning, God made a worm, and when Jonah woke up in the morning, the worm had eaten the roots, that the plant withered. And when the sun rose, Jonah was sad, he was so hot, and he cried to the Lord his God, and said to his God, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
And God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry because of the plant?”
And Jonah answered, “I do do well to be angry, even to death!”
Then said the Lord, “You have had pity on the plant, you have not laboured, or made it to grow; It came up in a night, and died in a night: And should I not spare Nineveh, where are more than one hundred twenty thousand people?”
So the Lord rebuked Jonah, and Jonah lived in Nineveh for awhile.
_____________________
God didn't abandon Jonah. He helped him all the way through. This is how friends need to be: not abandoning, but helping and loving instead. As Proverbs 17:17 says, “
A friend loveth at all times...” To be a good friend, you have to be able to listen to your friends troubles, hopes, dreams, and wants. God listens to our wants, hopes, and dreams. He is a true friend—and has always been a good friend! God was a good friend to Jonah, and he can be a good friend to you. May God bless your friendship with Him!
—Esther
