“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming…. When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’” John 4:25-26

Right in Front of Us

I have sought the Lord’s direction so many times in my life. I remember praying fervently for the Lord to tell me who to marry (though no one had asked me yet.) Oh, how I wanted His will! I knew from seeing my mom’s failed marriages that life could be terrible married to the wrong man. (The obvious correlation to that, in my mind, was that if I married God’s choice, life would be wonderful. Problem-free. Bliss.)

There are many other prayers for direction I’ve prayed, too. But if we’re honest, in most of our prayers we have a hoped-for answer. We aren’t looking for something outside our comfort zone, something different than our dreams.

The Samaritan woman was looking for a certain kind of Messiah. He would do particular things in particular ways. He would reveal Himself by “telling them all things.” She was certain she would know Him when He spoke.

But she didn’t. Not at first. He had already had a long conversation with her in which He told her she had set her sights too low. She was expecting common, earthly things, and He was offering uncommon, supernatural things. It wasn’t what she was looking for, and for the moment, she missed His point.

He didn’t leave her to figure it out, though. Later in the conversation, He did reveal Himself in the way she had expected—by telling her all things that no one else knew about her. I’m not too sure she was expecting to hear those things.

Jesus was right in front of her. The One she was looking for had already appeared. What she sought had already been given. What she wanted to hear was being spoken at that moment.

This speaks to me. Jesus is right here, right now. His Word is speaking to my heart, to my mind. Am I open to what He is saying, or am I expecting something different? Am I asking for the common things when He has supernatural things to offer? Do I look for the temporary when He holds forth to me the eternal? Do I believe that the Bible has already spoken—the Word has already been said?

Father, let us recognize our Savior. In whatever we thought we knew, in whatever we thought You would do or say, open our eyes and ears so we don’t miss the fullness of walking with You. Amen.