Blessed Sunday to you all.

Okay. Who turned off the warm? My Mamo always said there would be another cool snap before Easter. Perhaps this one is it. So you know what I did today? I changed out the closet from winter wear to spring and summer wear. But for the next day or two I have kept out a couple of sweaters and plan on wearing my boots.

Today we celebrated Pastor Marc Hander’s 10th anniversary of ordination. It was a wonderful service with our Associate Bishop, Pastor Stan Meyer, preaching. He preached on the story of the Samaritan woman.

Prayer: “Lord, I will see many of my Christian friends this weekend. It will be good to see them, but it will be even better to see You! I am humbled by You and confident in You. With You there is no pretense about who I really am. You know me better than I know myself. In spite of my flaws, use me for Your purposes, and I will bless and glorify Your holy name. Amen.”

John 4: 13-14 “Jesus replied, Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”

Here is the woman whose job it was draw water. She brought her bucket to the same well each day. She may have been drawing water for her household or her community. But she most likely arrived at the well around the same time each day. Perhaps because of her shame she came each day when she knew there would be no one else there. But this day was to be different from all other days. Today when she arrived there was a man at the well. Not just a man, but a stranger who asked her for a drink of water. She had known many men in her life and was probably especially wary of this one for she was a Samaritan and He was Jew. This one asked her for water. I reread the passage several times and it never says whether she gave him a drink or not, but I know she came for a bucket of water to quench her thirst and left with water for her soul for a lifetime.

We are so like the Samaritan woman. We are drawn to the well hoping for just a brief drink of water. Jesus meets us there and we leave the well with a supply that never runs dry. So here is the question…what did she do next? Do you think that she kept all of these things and pondered them in her heart? No, she continued her conversation and then ran back to her village and told them about the living water, this living water full of forgiveness and grace. When she told the villagers about Jesus they came “streaming” to see Him.

Here is the question we all must answer…after we have had an encounter with Christ what must we do? Are we going to keep this encounter to ourselves as if it was a piece of precious gold, not willing for others to know or share this experience? Or are we going to be like the Samaritan woman and tell everyone about the forgiveness and grace we have received? Are we going to tell others where to find Jesus so that they too may receive the living water? Where will they find Jesus? Can we tell them to look no further than our own hearts and in our faces and actions? Who would ever think that the godly life could be modeled in one such as the Samaritan woman?

Take joy in the journey. Wear comfortable shoes (and a sweater). Count your blessings and say your prayers. Let us continue to lift each other up in prayer each day remembering that each of us is fighting some sort of battle. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.