Liz Blog, Faith, Love Series

Love Series | Samaritan Woman (Part Two)

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

(John 4:39 KJV)

Is there a difference between guilt and shame?

Someone once explained it in a simple way:

Shame says, “I’m a bad person.”

Guilt says, “I’ve done a bad thing.”

So, guilt is conviction. It spurs necessary and vital growth. Without conviction, we would never be moved to change harmful and sinful ways. Others can give godly wisdom in our lives that inspires this type of conviction. Now, we often–and when I say often, I mean 9.9/10 times–do not like this. Let’s face it, we don’t want to acknowledge when we’ve done something wrong. But avoiding this is extremely dangerous. Sin has consequences. Avoiding areas of our lives that we know are not God-honoring leads to more and more decisions and more and more sin that can alter our life for the worst. So, when I say guilt, I’m talking about a godly conviction that causes us to recognize our faults and pushes us to be more like Christ.

However, shame, instead of encouraging our heart’s change, scares us into hiding. It makes us feel as though we must push others away, that we don’t deserve community, or that other people are judging us. Shame is where Satan thrives. Through shame, he tries to convince us that God is against us, that He doesn’t love us, that we are unrecoverable. Often times, people blame Christianity for putting “shame” on people. God has nothing to do with shame. Shame has no part in the gospel. Jesus came to set the captives free.

Part Two of the Love Series looks at the Samaritan woman who met Jesus in an unexpected way. Living a life of sin, she was a woman who felt immense shame and had been searching for security in ways that left her empty. Despite the shame she felt due to her own choices and her treatment by others, this woman was offered a second chance. Jesus broke barriers and offered her a relationship with her Savior that changed her life.

INTRODUCING THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

(Reference: John 4:1-42)

Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”  (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) (John 4:4-8)

The Samaritan woman’s story tells of a woman’s transformation from shame, to conviction, to a new freedom and love for Christ.

When this woman is introduced in verse 7, notice that she isn’t given a name. The fact that she is anonymous is important, however, as it implies that there is a larger symbol or lesson behind the story for us to learn and apply to our lives.

While the woman is unnamed, she is identified as a Samaritan. The Samaritans were the people of Samaria, a northern region in Israel, located between Galilee and Judea. The Samaritans had a distinct pagan culture that posed a threat to Israel. As a result of cultural and religious differences, great hostility existed between the Jews and Samaritans.

Another significant point is that the woman came to the well at noon. This was an unusual time of the day to draw water, especially because it was hot, so others wouldn’t normally be found at the well during this period. Before we know more about the Samaritan woman, the fact that she was there shows that she was most likely avoiding other people, more specifically other women who would come to the well. As we read the passage, we learn why–that this woman was living in shame due to her sin.

This shame caused division between her and others. There were probably those in the community who knew about her reputation and didn’t want to associate themselves with her, and she felt outcasted and kept herself isolated from others. However, Jesus came into the picture and showed her a love that pushed her to abandon her past and her fear.

An Encounter Motivated by Love

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans (John 4:9).

Jesus broke two societal traditions by speaking to this woman when he asked her for a drink of water. Notice that Jesus asking for a drink was not offensive but it stirred up curiosity in her. Teachers of the law were not allowed to speak to women publicly, and a Jew wasn’t to associate himself with a Samaritan due to the contempt between the groups.

He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria (John 4:3-4).

These verses express that Jesus had to go to Samaria. What’s also notable is that Jesus is described as being physically weary from his journey–something we hardly ever see in the Bible (v. 6). There is a sense of urgency here. A sense of purpose. Jesus had a reason to be in this Samaritan region at this odd time to speak to this woman–things that a man of His background typically would not be doing, according to society.

The woman acknowledged the peculiarity of the situation in verse 9, asking him why he would be asking her for a drink. Jesus used this as an opportunity to reach a hurting woman.

While the Samaritan woman had been isolated from others due to shame, motivated by fear, Jesus approached her, motivated by love.

The Ultimate Source of Love: Living Water

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: (John 4:10-13)

Jesus wasn’t at the well to simply draw water–He didn’t even bring anything to draw it with! This wasn’t a mistake. Jesus often uses physical things that we understand to explain spiritual things, and we see this immediately during the exchange in this passage.

The Samaritan woman didn’t know she was speaking to Jesus (in verse 12, she asks if He is greater than Jacob), but she knew the “living water” He spoke of was one that she wanted. If whoever drank this water never would never thirst again as He claimed, it had to be another type of “water.” There was something the woman was thirsting after. Nevertheless, her curiosity sparked a willingness in verse 15. After Jesus told her the water He offered guaranteed eternal life, she asked Him for it.

However, before the woman could receive this water, she had to come to a point of acknowledging her sins. Face to face with the object of her shame. Why? She had to understand that she needed this water. She needed conviction.

Jesus addressed her about the way she had been living, but He did so in a way that showed love:

16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly (John 4:16-18).

The Samaritan woman didn’t hide the truth from Jesus. When He asked her about her husband, she admitted that she had none–and Jesus didn’t condemn her. Instead, He acknowledged that she was telling the truth. This woman previously had five husbands (perhaps they had died in the past, etc.), and now she was living with a man she wasn’t married with.

Now, there are still consequences for sin. Jesus welcomes us with open arms, and He wants us to come to Him with our sins and turn away from them. He gives us a new life. However, sin does have consequences. Emotional, physical, spiritual consequences. Fortunately, when we turn away, Jesus gives us a new life and freedom from shame.

The Samaritan woman’s life perfectly illustrates the fact that sin has negative effects.

Let’s recap: She was living in shame, fear, and loneliness. Before she even spoke, we see this based on her actions. Maybe she was looking for intimacy in her relationships with men in the past or the affair she was having now. She never found it there or in any of her attempts to find fulfillment. She was thirsting for  something that would finally quench her thirst.

Nevertheless, the woman still didn’t realize who she was speaking to. First she asked Jesus whether He was greater than Jacob, and now she stated her belief that He was a prophet (v. 19). Little did she know, Jesus was much more than a prophet.

Next, Jesus again broke religious tradition–barriers–man had set up that had no eternal value. The woman mentioned that the Samaritans believed that a certain mountain was the place of worship, while Jews believed Jerusalem was (v. 20). This had caused major tension between the Samaritans and the Jews. Jesus pointed out that they didn’t even know what they were worshipping (v. 22). It seemed that they loved tradition (where to worship) than they loved who they were worshipping. This was a tradition that brought division. Jesus explained that true worship of God was a matter of the heart:

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

By bringing up this new topic of conversation, perhaps the woman was trying to steer the focus away from herself–now that her secret life was out in the open–but this becomes a great opportunity for Jesus to reveal to her who He was–and that through Him, she could receive the living water she had been searching for. And that love (a mindset and an action, which we will see later) was the only way to honor Him.

The Reveal: Love and its Legacy

The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things (John 4:25).

The Samaritan woman showed a willingness, and this is key. She believed that a Messiah was coming, and she believed that whatever He says will be the truth–He will set things straight in this world.

In this moment, knowing already that this woman was now convicted and she was willing to change, Jesus reveals Himself to her.

Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he (John 4:26).

He was the Messiah she was waiting for. He was the answer. He was the living water.

And right away, the woman had a remarkable response:

The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? (John 4:28-29)

She went into the city and told men–who she once avoided–about Jesus. She even left her waterpot at the well, which implied that she meant to return. In fact, those she spoke to returned to the well to see Jesus (v. 30).

Remember who this Samaritan woman was. A woman who never had true intimacy with those around her. She was outcasted, and she wasn’t living God’s way. Living in sin will never bring contenement. We see that in her shame alone.

However, with a relationship with Christ, she experienced a relationship with the only One who knew her so deeply, who could tell her everything she ever did (v. 29).

Her love, faith, and obedience to Christ first opened this new relationship with Him. Now, this led to new relationships and restored contact with others who she could bring to Christ.

It’s amazing to study the legacy the Samaritan woman’s love allowed. Her love for Christ allowed her to love others, as she saw they had a great need that could only be fulfilled through Him. Perhaps living an isolated life became a stronger testimony for her to understand humanity’s great need for a Savior.

She had a tremendous impact on others. Afterwards, Jesus’ physically remained in that region, as He stayed two more days with these people (v. 40), and many accepted a new relationship with Christ because of the woman’s testimony (v. 39, 41-42). Clearly she was following Jesus’ lead by breaking boundaries through love and leading others to ultimate freedom.

“WHAT ABOUT ME?”

We are quite similar to this Samaritan woman. Before Christ, we search for intimacy in wrong ways. However, anywhere you look outside Christ, you will end up empty.

It’s interesting that Jesus remained with the people of the city for two extra days. What a great reminder that He is faithful to His promise of coming to us when we seek Him.

On the topic of love, conviction from the Holy Spirit brings us closer to understanding God’s love and grows our love for Him, but shame does the opposite. While nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:38-39), shame puts a wedge between us and our relationship with God. Although He is near and His love is still unending, we, ourselves, can become resentful towards Him and make choices that distance ourselves from God. Note that this is a choice that we make. This is what Satan wants, but we can fight back. We cannot fight this battle alone, however, especially when it comes to dealing with spiritual matters.

God is there to help us in this fight.

What happens when this shame, this hiding, drives us away from God? As I mentioned in the introduction of the Love Series, we have a natural desire for love. So, when we are separated from the source of all love, God, we turn to other things and people that cannot fill this longing.

God has plans to make all things new, work things together for good, and you can be part of this great plan. God has plans for our relationships with others, but it has to start with Him. It won’t be right any other way. You can’t follow a God you don’t know!

He had a plan for this hurting woman, but Satan did, too. Imagine how many lives would not have known Christ if she had followed Satan’s plan to remain in sin and not live for her Savior. If we don’t live for Christ, imagine how many people we can impact negatively, how many people could miss out on eternal life, how many opportunities we can miss out on. It’s scary to think about. But think about this.

Just as the Samaritan woman discovered Christ’s love, we can as well when we choose to have a relationship with Him. Who knows where this love will take us. If we love God, we will live for Him. And when we live for Him, the possibilities are endless.

And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.

(John 4:42 KJV)

Liz Blog, Faith, Love Series

Love Series | Launching 8.1.16

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  

(Matthew 22:37-39 KJV)

Introducing… the Love Series on LizMargaret!

We have a desire to connect with others. And it’s perfectly normal. God created us to have this desire–and to have fruitful relationships with those around us.

In every type of relationship you can imagine, Christ is an example of how we ought to love. It’s quite amazing. Think about it:

In marriage:

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:25)

We are called into the family of God, as His children:

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18)

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)

In friendships:

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. (John 15:13-14)

In every example, Christ is the center. Everything points back to gospel. God Himself has modeled love for us through His Son, Jesus Christ. Just as Christ laid down His life for us, we are called to do the same for Him. We are called to die to ourselves in our service to Him and to others as He commands.

Yet as we navigate different relationships (friendship, romance, family, etc), we often face pain, disappointment, confusion, betrayal, and heartbreak. Due to our imperfect nature, these feelings may be inevitable, but God’s Word provides endless wisdom on how we should conduct ourselves in relationships and what we should avoid.

When we remain rooted in Christ, we allow His will for our current and future relationships to manifest, as we are led by the Spirit to have discernment in who we allow into our lives and what it looks like to love them.

The Love Series will look at four women in the Bible who show that following God is the only way to live life and treat others as He intended.

Love Series | Overview:

Part 1: Ruth

Part 2: The Samaritan Woman at the Well

Part 3: Anna

Part 4: Elizabeth

These are real women, with very different stories. They exemplify faith as well as human faults. They are forgiven women, friends, disciples, and leaders. Each of them teach us that when the gospel is evident in the way we live, we are set apart from the world, bringing glory to God in our lives and relationships.

Look out for new posts in this four-part series every Monday, starting August 1, 2016!

Liz Blog, Faith

He Heard You

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1 John 5:14 (KJV)

At the beginning of the spring semester, a good friend from high school visited me at college.

We kept in contact as she traveled, but after she got off her last train, she sent me a frantic text:

I FORGOT MY PURSE ON THE TRAIN!

She fortunately had her phone in her hand, but everything else, besides her backpack, was left behind.

The first instinct I had was to pray, and I replied to her that I did afterwards.

In the meanwhile, an employee searched the train, and she had gone to the lost and found at the station, but nothing turned up. Despite this, she had a great attitude about the loss, and we still had a fun weekend together. Nevertheless, I was a bit bummed and confused that she hadn’t found the purse, especially since I did believe that God heard my prayer and would answer it.

A few weeks later, I got a message from my friend about something she had forgotten to tell me. Days after she had returned from the trip, she received a package in the mail from someone that contained her purse and everything (including money) still inside it.

When I heard the news, I was utterly shocked and overjoyed. I was happy that she found her purse, and even more in awe that God had answered the prayer–even though I had forgotten about it.

Even when we forget about what we have asked the Lord, He hasn’t forgotten our requests, so we must remain submitted to Him.

Submitting to God means that despite the outcome of our prayers, we will still trust and follow His direction. We can have peace in this, knowing that He knows our needs. He is taking care of us, although He might be doing so in ways we don’t expect.

I had no idea that my friend’s purse would be returned in such an uncanny way, yet the fact that it was completely unharmed made the situation a larger testimony of how God works. She could have found it at the station, but instead, the purse was returned in a way that was out of her control–proving that a bigger miracle was behind it.

God hears every one of our prayers. As we wait on Him, we can have confidence and excitement knowing that He is preparing a great testimony in our lives of His faithfulness.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Hebrews 10:23 (KJV)

Liz Blog, Faith

Perseverance, Part 1 – Where Do You Place God In Your Life?

It’s pretty obvious to say that it’s been so long since my last blog post.

College has been keeping me busy, as usual. This time of the semester especially becomes busy with papers, projects, presentations, and midterm exams. It can get busy to the point that I can easily take my eyes off God and forget that He is with me every step of the way. Nevertheless, this time of my life has reminded me to remain steadfast on God–especially when trials come.

We are not called to be steadfast in our faith simply to follow a rule in the Bible. God only places commands because He knows they are for our good. We must be steadfast and sold-out for Christ because we need it. We need Him. Sometimes the challenges are what that pull us back to Him. Sometimes they are the reminders that we fall short–that we are limited as humans and that God is our ultimate salvation, our Beginning and End. The good news is this–we don’t have to wait until we fall to realize we need God.

Where do you place God in your life? Are you only following God for what He can do for you? Are you only “good” with God until challenges come? I want to encourage you to examine your heart now. Don’t wait until you fall.

Here are five of my favorite verses on perseverance:

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Romans 5:2-5 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

1 Timothy 6:11-12 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvebYLxu628

Liz Ask LizMargaret

Ask LizMargaret

Have a Question? Need Advice? Need Prayer?

If you’re looking for answers from a Christian perspective, submit your question here at the LizMargaret Tumblr site, and it might just appear in a future blog post.

Not sure what to ask? Topics you can think about: Relationships, friendships, college, faith/Christian life, and more!

This new series has been something that’s been on my heart for so long now, as I would like for this blog to be a very interactive experience for whoever reads it! I hope it creates a space to engage in conversation that inspires spiritual growth and encouragement.

What do I mean by a Christian perspective? As a follower of Christ, I consider the Bible to be the foundation of my worldview, shaping the way I live my life, so any of the responses I give will be based on the Word.

Please send in any questions, prayer requests, or any topic ideas for future posts–I am very excited to hear from you and to see how God uses this!

Click here to check out all Ask LizMargaret posts and videos!

Liz Blog, Faith

The Choice

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

(John 10:10 NIV)

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure how to start off this post. It’s going to be a bit more personal than my previous ones, but I do hope and pray that sharing my experience will bless and encourage whoever is reading in some way.

So, today I started my summer internship, and well, it was hard. I was able to spend the first few hours of the day meeting other interns, which was definitely my favorite part of the day. I met undergrad and grad students, and I always find it fascinating to learn about other people, especially their goals and dreams. At this point, I was convinced I was going to love this place.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t love it now. I really appreciate the fact that I am here and what my assignment is. My co-workers are very kind, hardworking, and friendly. What shocked me was my workload, however. I expected to have assignments, deadlines and projects, but I just wasn’t expecting to get so much work so soon. I felt I entered this internship fairly, with an open mind, but now I was thinking, “God why did you bring me here? I can’t handle this.” The last thing I needed was stress in the summer.

Let me now trace back to a blog post I wrote a couple weeks ago called “The Power of Encouragement.” One of the points I expressed  was that I’ve seen God use other believers in my life to encourage me in different ways that I knew had to be from Him–often times, He uses these people to meet me right where I am.

Over the weekend, preparing for the internship, I naturally felt nervous, yet I was able to see how God provided for me while I was stuck in this emotion. A ministry leader I hadn’t spoken to or seen in years messaged me just to say that he’s been keeping my brothers and I in prayer during the past few years. A friend from a past retreat also reached out over the weekend to share a scripture that was on her heart and just to say she’s praying for me. Words cannot express how much I needed their encouragement. I wouldn’t have even thought that these two would have reached out to me. Nevertheless, I think this is a great example of how obeying God’s direction and acting on the commands that He places on your heart can greatly minister to others and ultimately reflect His awesome love.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.  (2 Cor 1:3-4 NIV)

Looking back to this moment after a long day gave me encouragement.

But then I started thinking, what if this never even happened? What do we do when we don’t clearly see encouragement in our lives? How do we gain hope when there seems to be none or nobody in sight? Although God is always present, sometimes it’s hard to be reminded of His goodness and comfort. It’s easy to feel distant from Him.

In those times, I think it’s important to remember and understand one, simple fact:

God is a good God. No matter what is happening in life, God is a good God. This is a fact that never changes.

We have access to a good God as believers. But Satan can catch us in a snare–that is, a trap–of disappointment and discouragement. It is essential that we understand that this is not of God. Negative thoughts, fears, and insecurities are not of God. It’s not enough to even acknowledge that these are attacks from the enemy–we must reject these emotions in the name of Jesus. There is power in that name.

We may be asked to do big tasks on this earth–ones we feel completely unqualified for. Yet God has equipped us to do all things that come in our path. He’s equipped us with the grace to get through the day before it has even started.

This is what encourages me. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but God hasn’t given me life to worry about it. He’s given me rest to rejoice in it.

Now it’s hard for me to obey. It’s hard for me to accept this truth I cannot always see, but faith itself is the hope in things that are not seen (Hebrews 11:1). So I’m taking a stand to hold onto the Lord’s promises, remembering that He has provided for me before (even this past weekend!)

In all of this, I realize how essential it is to submit my way to the Lord. My way–my mind, my actions–and He will bring it to pass. I have a long summer ahead, but I’ve already been thanking Him for all the breakthroughs, strengths, and lessons that will come to pass. I realize how much my life is not about me at all. I’ve been so worried about my performance that I became caught in the enemy’s trap of despair. But when I realize that there’s a reason God has placed me in this particular experience, my performance is no longer this heavy thing looming above my head–rather it’s my performance for God that counts. I don’t know why He brought me here, but I trust that if I submit my ways to Him in all things, He will bring this to pass and in some way, me being here will glorify Him.

My experiences all come down to a choice: falling into the enemy’s trap–where my fears and my doubts reside–or serving God–my Rock, my Redeemer–instead.

I thought I’d end this post with a song I feel fits the topic. Listen and read the lyrics–I feel it has some serious, thought-provoking ideas to take away.

Jaeson Ma | Glory