5:1 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar … 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well … 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” … 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” … 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
– John 5:1-10
One of the reasons that I deeply appreciate the Lutheran theological tradition is that it boldly faces the fact that we are all broken and imperfect people. I am an imperfect man writing to imperfect people. The writer of the Book of Hebrews reminds his readers that the high priest who served in the temple in Jerusalem could, “deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.” As a pastor, I often have the opportunity to put this advice into practice. When I hear a confession, I always remember that I am a sinner hearing the contrition of another sinner. We’re in this together.
Jesus was not a sinner. He faithfully walked the fine line and avoided both unrighteousness and self-righteousness. He lived a fully righteous life, but was incredibly kind to the “ignorant and wayward” (Hebrews 5:2). Nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. She had everything against her: 1) She was a Samaritan — so had her theology wrong. 2) She worshipped at the wrong temple. 3) She was a woman, and in the ancient world this was against her. 4) She was divorced five times. 5) She was unmarried and living with a man — so was both an adulterer and a fornicator. In short, she was wayward.
Given all this, Jesus still says to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
Please do not misunderstand. Jesus is not being “soft on sin.” To use an overused phrase. Jesus simply loves the sinner – not the sin. He will give to anyone who asks. He is not stingy or withholding of the divine gift of living water. Nor does He wait until we are “good enough” before He gives. He gives freely to sinners who ask. That’s very good news for us!
Never think that you must get your life in order before you can receive the gifts of God. Or, that God won’t give until you’ve cleaned yourself up. Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit now. Worship “in spirit and truth” with the Samaritan woman and all other sinners. I’ve no doubt that this Samaritan woman’s life was changed by her “chance” encounter with Jesus at the well.
Prayer: Come Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ Jesus; come and fill me with the water of life. Cleanse me from my sin, free me from guilt and shame, and enable me to worship You in spirit and truth. In the name of the Father, and of the Son+ and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lenten Response: Lent is a time in which we intentionally reflect upon our lives and take stock of our own ignorance and waywardness. Are there sins which you think make you unworthy to receive forgiveness? Listen to Jesus, if we ask, He will give us living water. Not because we are good, but because He is good. He is the fountain of all goodness, truth and life.
Devotion written by the Rev. Dr. Eric Riesen
Morning Psalms
Evening Psalms
There are no festivals or commemorations for today.
This daily prayer and Bible reading guide, Devoted to Prayer (based on Acts 2:42), was conceived and prepared by the Rev. Andrew S. Ames Fuller, director of communications for the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). After a challenging year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been provided with a unique opportunity to revitalize the ancient practice of daily prayer and Scripture reading in our homes. While the Reading the Word of God three-year lectionary provided a much-needed and refreshing calendar for our congregations to engage in Scripture reading, this calendar includes a missing component of daily devotion: prayer. This guide is to provide the average layperson and pastor with the simple tools for sorting through the busyness of their lives and reclaiming an act of daily discipleship with their Lord. The daily readings follow the Lutheran Book of Worship two-year daily lectionary, which reflect the church calendar closely. The commemorations are adapted from Philip H. Pfatteicher’s New Book of Festivals and Commemorations, a proposed common calendar of the saints that builds from the Lutheran Book of Worship, but includes saints from many of those churches in ecumenical conversation with the NALC. The introductory portion is adapted from Christ Church (Plano)’s Pray Daily. Our hope is that this calendar and guide will provide new life for congregations learning and re-learning to pray in the midst of a difficult and changing world.