Day Eighty Four - In Spirit and Truth

Johannes Vermeer - Girl with a Pearl Earring (Meisje met de parel) (Public Domain)

Samaria - the woman at the well: John 4: 1-26

In her book, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier gives us a wonderful picture. It’s a fictional account of the catholic painter Vermeer and his relationship with his protestant maid. At one point the maid asks him, “Are your paintings catholic paintings?” After some dialogue, he finally comes back with this answer, “It’s not the painting that’s catholic or protestant, but the people who look at it and what they expect to see. A painting in a church is like a candle in a dark room – we use it to see better. It is the bridge between ourselves and God. But it is not a protestant candle or a catholic candle. It is simply a candle.”

He seems to be saying that worship in spirit and truth doesn’t belong to any one denomination of the church, he seems to be saying that we are all joined together through Jesus.

In many ways the detail in this section of John's Gospel underline the ability of Jesus to bring people together. Here in Sychar we meet a Samaritan woman. She is surprised, we are told, because Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans. Jesus approaches her and speaks of living water, water that will give people eternal life and that this water is to be available to everyone. Even to the Samaritans. Even, in this case, after some prophetic insight on the part of Jesus, to a Samaritan woman with questionable morals. And by extension, even to us, despite our sins or failings. God through Jesus will love us and lead us in spirit and in truth because as Jesus reveals he is the Messiah and he is the one who has taken away everyone’s sin – in the end. And that’s the truth.

Prayer

Father, thank you that Jesus doesn't leave us at the surface, but probes until he can lead us deeper. Help us to drink deeply at the well of your Living Water. Help us never take your Holy Spirit for granted. Thank you for your incredible grace that brings us to faith and sustains us unto eternal life. Amen.

ASecludedPlace 2019 Revisited