Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The Lord had an appointment in
Samaria with a woman who would come to a well to draw water.
Therefore, he must needs go through Samaria. So the Lord prepared
the spot where he would come face to face with her many years
before she was born. The Lord prepared the woman and
gave her a desire to come to this well, as she no doubt had
done many times. She had no idea what awaited
her in this particular hour, and it was impossible that anything
could arise that would keep her from being at this exact spot
at this exact time. And I will bring the blind by
way that they knew not, and I will lead them in paths that they
have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked
things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not
forsake them. Since the Lord would never forsake
his own, he must needs go through some area, because he would minister
life to one of his own, who was yet dead in trespasses and sins.
That she was a wicked woman, there is no doubt, according
to the Lord's testimony and her own admission of guilt. Such
are all those whom the Lord is pleased to save. I cannot call
righteous, but sinners to repentance. Every step this woman had taken
since she first drew breath was designed and ordered by Him who
would not only ensure her presence at that spot on that day, but
also cause her to recognize the truth whenever He spoke it. Even
his request for water was a demonstration of his purpose to call this woman
to himself, as he drew her with cords of love that could not
be broken. He spoke to her of living water, and soon she was
the one who was thirsty, as he said, Sir, give me this water
that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Yet she would
not be allowed to drink of it until first he had brought her
to repentance. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and
come hither. She replied, I have no husband,
all the while hoping not to have to face the real truth. But he
who loved her from before the foundation of the world would
in no wise leave her to her own devices, nor let her hide in
her sin. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast
well said, I have no husband. For thou hast had five husbands,
and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. In that saidst
thou truly, Yes, indeed, he must complete the work which he came
to this well to perform. He is the rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are judgment. A God of truth and without iniquity,
just and right is he. She was confronted with her sin
and shame and tried to hide her guilt by turning to religion,
saying, Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, and ye say
that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. But
no, that mountain is no hiding place, nor will he who has begun
a good work abandon it until he has finished it. He stripped
away all of her refuges, as the God of truth who said, But the
hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship
the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father seeketh such to
worship Him. God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must
worship Him in spirit and in truth. He then revealed Himself
to her, saying, I that speak unto thee am He. Essentially,
what he said was, I am. A drastic change took place in
her that cannot be rightly explained by the purveyors of free will.
This is that which the Lord spoke to Nicodemus about, saying, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God. Suddenly, she saw the kingdom
of God, and him who is the king of it. She had now begun to drink
long draughts from that well which she knew absolutely nothing
about just a few minutes earlier. A river of water which issued
forth from the throne of God now swirled around her and overwhelmed
her, yet she lived, and everything she longed for was now supplied.
Christ is the living water which fills the river of life. This
water is that which supplies life to all who are planted by
the shores of this river. And he shall be like a tree planted
by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his
season. His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth
shall prosper. He is the vine, and we are the
branches. We are his workmanship. He is
that well of water springing up into everlasting life. The
river is sometimes deeper or shallower according to the amount
of water that flows in it. But whether deep or shallow,
it is still the water that gives life, and not the shape of the
river which adds anything to the water. When the poor and
needy seek water, and there is none, their tongue faileth for
thirst, I, the Lord, will hear them. I, the God of Israel, will
not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the
wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, and the chita tree,
and the myrtle, and the oil tree. And I will set in the desert
the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together. that they
may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that
the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel
hath created it." Have you drunk of this water? If you would like
a free transcript of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.