I so love the Samaritan women at the well story found in John Chapter Four. The exchange at the well, between a weary woman with issues, and the wearied Son of Man from His journey, is breathtaking. As Jesus, in His sincere requests for a drink of water and her jaded response of “Why are you talking to me?”, brings the conversation to the gift of God and Himself, who is speaking. If you knew that, you would have asked, and He would have given you living water. John 4:10
God works from the natural to the spiritual, moving from our soul to our heart, from our opinions to our issues. Jesus is the master hostage negotiator, and the hostage, whose freedom He is negotiating, is us. He engages our soul and then accesses our hearts. It is often said, “God offends the mind to reveal the heart.” Jesus does this perfectly.
He did it in Samaria, and the entire town came to believe and know Him as Christ, the Savior of the world. He did on the way to Emmaus with His two dejected, traumatized disciples after His resurrection. First, He asked the question, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” Luke 24:17
Kind of conversation? It’s their logos. Yes, kind of conversation is the Greek word logos, where we get God’s Word. Our conversation—our word, God’s conversation—His word. Transformation happens when we can hear God’s logos and let go of our own logos of self and its issues.
When Cammy and I were first married, I hated her asking me “What are you thinking?” Not because I didn’t want to share my thoughts but because she asked me when I was is a funk of some kind. I would get thoughtful and turn inward, I was no longer present. She knew that; so she went probing. I am glad I learned to tell on myself and not hide when she asked, “Where are you, Steve?”
Jesus is the Logos of God. He knows better than anyone that until we know His logos, we will live in our logos. When He speaks, He asks questions, draws out our logos, hits a trigger point, exposes our hearts, and then brings salvation. This is Living Water, drinking His words. When this happens, what has kept us captive becomes the door where we discover Jesus, and next we are running around declaring to all “Come see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” John 4:29. When we tell Him our story and He tells us His, we say to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32
This is the most important conversation we will have today—the one we have with Jesus.
