One of my favorite names of God is “Yahweh Shammah.” (Ezekiel 48:35) It means “The Lord is there.” Throughout Scripture, God reveals himself — who he is and his character. But the Son is the supreme revelation of the Father. The Son became one of us and is with us. In fact, his name is Immanuel – “God with us.”
The Gospels describe Jesus, the expression of the God who is with us. He encounters people tangibly, eating, teaching, walking with them. We see Jesus being intentional to meet individuals where there are.
In John 4, we read of an encounter of Jesus with a Samaritan woman at the well, as she was coming to draw water. As the disciples looked for food, Jesus chose to stay and to minister to this woman, even asking her for a drink (John 4:7). Little did this Samaritan woman know that she was about to draw water, not to quench the physical thirst, but through the living water who satisfies her spiritual thirst.
Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” John 4:13-15 NLT
Jesus met the Samaritan woman exactly where she was … at the well.
In this Ordinary Time, let us take a moment for Jesus, the Lord is there, to encounter us in whatever “wells” of problem, sorrow, need, painful past, sickness, or anxiety we are experiencing. Jesus has given us the living water — himself.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, remind me of Jesus’ presence especially in areas when everything seems ordinary. Let the extraordinary truth about God, who is Yahweh Shammah, be my assurance today.
By Justine Paolo “Jep” Parcasio, Associate Pastor
Baguio, Philippines
