1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: Life Audio Thank you for listening to your nightly scripture. 2 00:00:14,060 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: A calming scripture-centered devotional podcast designed to help you end 3 00:00:18,500 --> 00:00:21,380 Speaker 1: each day with God's word in your mind and on 4 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:26,630 Speaker 1: your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsor, 5 00:00:27,430 --> 00:00:33,110 Speaker 1: we will reflect on tonight's scripture, From John chapter 4. 6 00:00:40,909 --> 00:00:44,350 Speaker 1: Our evening reflection is written and read by Kyle Norman. 7 00:00:45,350 --> 00:00:52,060 Speaker 1: John chapter 4. Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had 8 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:55,700 Speaker 1: heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John. 9 00:00:56,780 --> 00:00:59,690 Speaker 1: Although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized. but 10 00:00:59,710 --> 00:01:04,190 Speaker 1: his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once 11 00:01:04,270 --> 00:01:08,470 Speaker 1: more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria, 12 00:01:09,030 --> 00:01:11,630 Speaker 1: so he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, 13 00:01:12,250 --> 00:01:14,589 Speaker 1: near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his 14 00:01:14,630 --> 00:01:19,860 Speaker 1: son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as 15 00:01:19,890 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 1: he was from the journey, sat down by the well. 16 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to 17 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:36,420 Speaker 1: draw water, Jesus said to her, His disciples had gone 18 00:01:36,459 --> 00:01:40,180 Speaker 1: into town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, 19 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, 20 00:01:44,540 --> 00:01:58,950 Speaker 1: Jesus answered her, he would have asked him, and he 21 00:01:58,970 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: would have given you living water. Sir, the woman said, 22 00:02:03,380 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. 23 00:02:06,860 --> 00:02:09,899 Speaker 1: Where can you get this living water? Are you greater 24 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and 25 00:02:12,900 --> 00:02:16,230 Speaker 1: drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock? 26 00:02:17,790 --> 00:02:22,169 Speaker 1: Jesus answered, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. 27 00:02:23,190 --> 00:02:28,419 Speaker 1: But whoever drinks the water that I give will never thirst. Indeed, 28 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 1: the water I give will become in them a spring 29 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:35,559 Speaker 1: of water, welling up to eternal life. The woman said 30 00:02:35,580 --> 00:02:38,660 Speaker 1: to him, Sir, give me this water so that I 31 00:02:38,700 --> 00:02:41,490 Speaker 1: won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to 32 00:02:41,530 --> 00:02:47,230 Speaker 1: draw water. Jesus told her, Go, call your husband and 33 00:02:47,270 --> 00:02:53,230 Speaker 1: come back. I have no husband, she replied. Jesus said 34 00:02:53,250 --> 00:02:55,790 Speaker 1: to her, You are right when you say that you 35 00:02:55,830 --> 00:02:59,609 Speaker 1: have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, 36 00:03:00,270 --> 00:03:02,329 Speaker 1: and the man you now have is not your husband. 37 00:03:03,350 --> 00:03:07,930 Speaker 1: What you've said is quite true. Sir, the woman said, 38 00:03:08,910 --> 00:03:12,049 Speaker 1: I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors 39 00:03:12,110 --> 00:03:15,290 Speaker 1: worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the 40 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:20,700 Speaker 1: place where we must worship is in Jerusalem. Woman, Jesus replied, 41 00:03:20,900 --> 00:03:24,389 Speaker 1: Believe me. A time is coming when you will worship 42 00:03:24,430 --> 00:03:28,390 Speaker 1: the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You 43 00:03:28,450 --> 00:03:32,070 Speaker 1: Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what 44 00:03:32,110 --> 00:03:35,690 Speaker 1: we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet 45 00:03:35,740 --> 00:03:38,980 Speaker 1: a time is coming, and it's now come, when the 46 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,260 Speaker 1: true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, 47 00:03:43,340 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: for they are the kind of worshippers that the Father seeks. 48 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:50,540 Speaker 1: God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship him in 49 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: the spirit and in truth. The woman said, I know 50 00:03:55,970 --> 00:04:00,080 Speaker 1: that Messiah, called Christ, is coming, and when he comes, 51 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: he will explain everything to us. Jesus declared, I, the 52 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:12,830 Speaker 1: one speaking to you, I am he. Then Jesus' disciples 53 00:04:12,870 --> 00:04:16,070 Speaker 1: returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman, 54 00:04:16,850 --> 00:04:18,710 Speaker 1: but no one asked, what do you want, or why 55 00:04:18,910 --> 00:04:22,740 Speaker 1: are you talking with her? Then, leaving her water jar, 56 00:04:23,589 --> 00:04:25,490 Speaker 1: The woman went back to the town and said to 57 00:04:25,529 --> 00:04:28,770 Speaker 1: the people, Come, see a man who has told me 58 00:04:28,870 --> 00:04:33,150 Speaker 1: everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah? They 59 00:04:33,170 --> 00:04:34,890 Speaker 1: came out of the town and they made their way 60 00:04:34,950 --> 00:04:40,190 Speaker 1: toward him. Meanwhile, his disciples urged him, Rabbi, eat something. 61 00:04:41,130 --> 00:04:44,150 Speaker 1: But Jesus said to them, I have food to eat 62 00:04:44,190 --> 00:04:48,210 Speaker 1: that you know nothing about. Then the disciples said to 63 00:04:48,270 --> 00:04:53,570 Speaker 1: each other, Could someone have brought him food? My food, 64 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:56,460 Speaker 1: said Jesus, is to do the will of him who 65 00:04:56,520 --> 00:05:00,020 Speaker 1: sent me, and to finish his work. Don't you have 66 00:05:00,060 --> 00:05:04,380 Speaker 1: a saying, it's still four months until harvest? I tell you, 67 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,580 Speaker 1: open your eyes and look at this field. They are 68 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,140 Speaker 1: ripe for the harvest. Even now the one who reaps 69 00:05:11,310 --> 00:05:14,349 Speaker 1: draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, 70 00:05:14,990 --> 00:05:17,830 Speaker 1: so that the sower and the reaper might be glad together. 71 00:05:19,230 --> 00:05:22,370 Speaker 1: Thus the saying, one sows and another reaps, is true. 72 00:05:23,670 --> 00:05:35,179 Speaker 1: Many of the Samaritans from the towns believed in Jesus 73 00:05:35,260 --> 00:05:38,380 Speaker 1: because of the woman's testimony, He told me everything I 74 00:05:38,460 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: ever did. So when the Samaritans came to Him, they 75 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,500 Speaker 1: urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days. 76 00:05:46,779 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: And because of His words, more became believers. They said 77 00:05:51,380 --> 00:05:54,410 Speaker 1: to the woman, We no longer believe just because of 78 00:05:54,470 --> 00:05:57,990 Speaker 1: what you've said. Now we've heard for ourselves, and we 79 00:05:58,010 --> 00:06:00,590 Speaker 1: know that this man really is the Savior of the world. 80 00:06:02,690 --> 00:06:07,060 Speaker 1: After the two days, Jesus left for Galilee. Jesus himself 81 00:06:07,100 --> 00:06:09,920 Speaker 1: had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in 82 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: his own country. When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans 83 00:06:14,060 --> 00:06:16,870 Speaker 1: welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done 84 00:06:16,890 --> 00:06:20,570 Speaker 1: in Jerusalem at the Passover festival, for they had been 85 00:06:20,589 --> 00:06:25,170 Speaker 1: there also. Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where 86 00:06:25,210 --> 00:06:28,410 Speaker 1: he had turned water into wine. And there was a 87 00:06:28,470 --> 00:06:32,990 Speaker 1: certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. When 88 00:06:33,029 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, 89 00:06:36,900 --> 00:06:39,140 Speaker 1: he went to him and begged him to come and 90 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:43,580 Speaker 1: heal his son, who was close to death. Unless you 91 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,480 Speaker 1: people see signs and wonders, Jesus told him, you will 92 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:51,290 Speaker 1: never believe. The royal official said, Sir, come down before 93 00:06:51,350 --> 00:06:56,550 Speaker 1: my child dies. Go, Jesus replied, your son will live. 94 00:06:58,110 --> 00:07:01,810 Speaker 1: The man took Jesus at his word and departed. While 95 00:07:01,870 --> 00:07:03,770 Speaker 1: he was still on the way, his servants met him 96 00:07:03,830 --> 00:07:07,220 Speaker 1: with the news that his boy was living. When he 97 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,800 Speaker 1: inquired as to the time when his son got better, 98 00:07:10,220 --> 00:07:13,460 Speaker 1: they said to him, Yesterday at one in the afternoon 99 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:17,860 Speaker 1: the fever left him. Then the father realized that this 100 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: was the exact moment when Jesus had said to him, 101 00:07:22,160 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 1: your son will live. so he and his whole household believed. 102 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,980 Speaker 1: This was the second sign that Jesus performed after coming 103 00:07:32,060 --> 00:07:40,850 Speaker 1: from Judea to Galilee. Everything about the Samaritan woman conveys 104 00:07:40,930 --> 00:07:46,270 Speaker 1: a struggle with loneliness and isolation. She doesn't come to 105 00:07:46,290 --> 00:07:48,950 Speaker 1: the well in the early hours of the morning, as 106 00:07:49,010 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: would be normal in that time. Instead of making the 107 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,100 Speaker 1: laborsome journey outside of the city walls, when the air 108 00:07:56,180 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 1: was cool and refreshing, she comes in the middle of 109 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,740 Speaker 1: the day, when the sun is at its hottest. What 110 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: is more, she comes alone. In the ancient world at 111 00:08:07,170 --> 00:08:11,590 Speaker 1: this time, travel outside the city walls was dangerous, particularly 112 00:08:11,650 --> 00:08:16,050 Speaker 1: for women. Thus, women often traveled as a company when 113 00:08:16,090 --> 00:08:21,590 Speaker 1: fetching water. There was safety in numbers. but not for 114 00:08:21,630 --> 00:08:25,750 Speaker 1: this Samaritan woman. She has no one to come with her. 115 00:08:27,870 --> 00:08:31,110 Speaker 1: We often spend a lot of time trying to identify 116 00:08:31,210 --> 00:08:34,140 Speaker 1: what kind of woman she was, but the truth is, 117 00:08:34,700 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: the only thing that matters is her feeling of emptiness. 118 00:08:38,380 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: Her empty bucket and her empty company conveys a longing 119 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:49,170 Speaker 1: to be filled. And then she meets Jesus. They have 120 00:08:49,220 --> 00:08:53,040 Speaker 1: this intriguing conversation, but what is most striking is that 121 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,820 Speaker 1: when she turns back and runs into the city to 122 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: tell people about the person she has just met, she 123 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:04,740 Speaker 1: leaves her bucket. Because she is no longer empty. She 124 00:09:04,780 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: is no longer alone. In the company of Jesus, she 125 00:09:08,070 --> 00:09:10,910 Speaker 1: has found a living water that will be never taken 126 00:09:10,970 --> 00:09:15,189 Speaker 1: away from her. Despite anything that has come before, she 127 00:09:15,230 --> 00:09:19,380 Speaker 1: has found the one in whom she is accepted. and loved. 128 00:09:21,460 --> 00:09:24,300 Speaker 1: We all have our own empty buckets to some degree. 129 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: We all have places where we need Jesus to fill 130 00:09:28,460 --> 00:09:32,949 Speaker 1: us more fully with his love and grace. As you 131 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:37,130 Speaker 1: retire for this night, take a moment to name your 132 00:09:37,210 --> 00:09:41,569 Speaker 1: place of emptiness. And with that emptiness in mind, dare 133 00:09:41,630 --> 00:09:46,569 Speaker 1: to believe that Jesus will satisfy even your deepest of needs. 134 00:09:50,950 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: Dearest Lord Jesus, I come to you this night holding 135 00:09:55,340 --> 00:09:59,110 Speaker 1: my own bucket of emptiness and need. I come to 136 00:09:59,170 --> 00:10:03,850 Speaker 1: you knowing that you are the satisfaction to my soul's desire. 137 00:10:04,750 --> 00:10:08,330 Speaker 1: Fill me with your life-giving water. Feed me with the 138 00:10:08,350 --> 00:10:11,959 Speaker 1: bread of life. Lord, in the face of my sin, 139 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:17,200 Speaker 1: speak your word of forgiveness. In light of my own self-rejection, 140 00:10:17,740 --> 00:10:21,370 Speaker 1: declare your loving acceptance of me. when I am tempted 141 00:10:21,450 --> 00:10:25,050 Speaker 1: to turn away from you, captivate me with your grace 142 00:10:26,190 --> 00:10:29,229 Speaker 1: and give me the strength to know myself as your 143 00:10:29,270 --> 00:10:34,329 Speaker 1: beloved child. As I sleep, may this night before me 144 00:10:34,610 --> 00:10:38,610 Speaker 1: be a time of spiritual restoration and may I wake 145 00:10:38,690 --> 00:10:46,370 Speaker 1: tomorrow renewed in your Holy Spirit. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. 146 00:10:48,750 --> 00:10:52,190 Speaker 1: How did tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts 147 00:10:52,870 --> 00:11:04,750 Speaker 1: in the Your Nightly Scripture forum discussion. Thank you for 148 00:11:04,809 --> 00:11:09,550 Speaker 1: listening to Your Nightly Scripture. 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