The past is a memory, the future is a dream and we only live in the moment. It is how we live in the moment that matters…. It [the future] is determined by the will of God and the choices we make.”
–Dan Arnold (Bear Creek)
“And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
–Ephesians 2:1 (NKJV)
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“Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.’ The woman answered and said, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You have well said, “I have no husband,” for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.'”
–John 4:16-18(NKJV)
There are many things to glean from this story in John. This woman was a Samaritan, an outcast in the eyes of orthodox Jews. They were called “dogs,” mongrels to be precise. They lost their “racial purity” years before and continued the practice. To the Jews this was unpardonable. A little historical perspective is needed here. When the Assyrians conquered a people (this took place in Samaria about 720 B.C.) their practice was to exile some of the inhabitants to various locales. Some of the people in Samaria were left, and into Samaria, Assyrians brought other peoples from their conquests. Samaria was then a mixture of many peoples and the Jews of Samaria intermarried with them, thus they became “mongrels” in the sight of Jews. There is much more to this but that will suffice for now.
A second thing that is apparent is that this woman who came to the well was a mess. Some interpret the “five husbands” to be but an allegory representing the people with whom the Samaritans intermarried with. From what I read and gathered, this was not the case but actually depicted the deplorable condition of the woman’s life. Jesus points out to her the sinful states in which she was living. Think of all the problems, the stigma, the issues that this woman faced, not only in the minds of the people around her, but in her own mind. Then something marvelous happened–she came upon Jesus.
Yes, there are many more lessons here, but I want to point out that when the woman left Jesus, she left changed. The day completely changed her outlook on life. It changed her attitude toward worship, towards God, towards others, and most importantly herself and her relationship with God. Imagine the woman, from this day forward. She didn’t dread getting out of bed in the morning for it was the day the Lord had made for her. Instead of handing her head as she walked through the streets, she would greet people with a smile and perhaps a “God bless you.” No longer did she carry the heavy burden of sin, but she walked with joy in her steps. Her weariness had turned into life of refreshing for she now had tasted of the “living water.”
When she saw the well a smile would cross her face. Her mind would always flash back to the moment when she found Jesus. But I believe that she went on with her walk with the Lord and that she saw the well as a place of salvation, of commitment, of refreshing. In our lives we all have moments like this, especially if you have been a Christian for long. Too many people live in the moment of past experiences. I remember a pastor telling the story of a dear saint in the church. At altar call, she would go to the same spot near the piano. She would kneel in such and such a posture with her right hand raised and white hankie in it. She was looking for the Lord to bless her again in a special way. She had not moved on! In reality she was making this spot, this one-time experience into an idol. It was sort of like Peter when he wanted to stay up on the mountain because of the glorious moments he experienced. The Lord had to remind him that it was down off the mountain, down in the valley that there was work to be done.
In saying all of this, I want to get to my main point. Never, ever forget those experiences you have had with the Lord. They may be at an altar of prayer; it may be a time when He healed you, or delivered you from a certain disaster. Those are important, the Bible is full of scriptures that tell us to remember what the Lord has done. However, don’t go to the well the next day and expect to find Jesus there. I would say three things that are important: Remember the past; Learn from the past; Don’t try to relive the past.