Greetings My Friend,
One of my favorite pictures of Jesus is when He stops and asks the woman at the well for a drink of water. This woman is considered the scum of society, she was married 5 times, was currently living with a man so she came to draw water at the well when the other women were not around. The woman was shocked Jesus would even speak to her for a few reasons, first because of her low status in society, also because He was a Jew and she was a Samaritan whom the Jew's despised. Even so Jesus spoke to the woman, asked her for a drink of water then told her He was the true living water in which she would never thirst again. Jesus reached out to the unwanted, gave them the hope of eternity in heaven. I find a lot of comfort in this beautiful act of love and compassion. I have felt this low, this stained in sin and I have felt the acceptance and love of my Savior who died for my sins. It was easy for me to be lost in this beautiful loving aspect of Jesus although as I read the Bible I also meet the firm, direct side of Jesus as well. If I am honest I too have those tender sides within me and the not so tender sides as well although I want to be the tender Jesus reaching out to the lost, the lonely and the hurting, I would rather not be the "in your face" part of Jesus, I have even convinced myself that I am a woman, women are nurturer's in general so I think I adopted the tender, caring compassionate part of Jesus by default of my birth. God reminds me that there have been strong women in the Bible as well. Deborah was a judge when judges ruled Israel, she told a man to go to war and save Israel, he was afraid of loosing so he wanted Deborah to go with him into battle alongside of him. At the end of the successful battle, a woman killed the king that was oppressing them which was an insult to the man who made Deborah go with him to war. Since I have been with Junior who is a very rough and tough man, I have met the very tender compassionate man he is as well so hiding behind being like Jesus' tender nature is a false belief. I see Jesus is also a very direct to the point of person as well. In His life He told religious leaders what He thought as we draw nearer to Resurrection Sunday, I see a toughness as He endures the pain of betrayal, the scourging, the beating, the mocking and the nails. He endures with a quietness that takes my breath away, the only time He cries out in anguish is when God turns His back on His only Son. As a believer Jesus also warns that those who follow Him will face persecution, because He did as well. I hear that I am to be tender, to reach out to the lost, the lonely, the hurting and the unseen just as He did. I learn I will face persecution as He did because the world hated Him first, it is scary to say the least. The Bible tells me "God will never leave me or forsake me, the LORD is my shepherd and I shall not want, God knows the plans He has for me to prosper me not to harm me." God won't take away all the pain of life although He will take me by the hand and walk with me through the trails of life. I have found these things to be true as God has used the pain of abuse for reaching others, He has given me a heart for compassion and a heart to be bold even if I am not liked. I used to want to please people, I am learning and have learned that I am not alone, God will help me when I am scared unsure. When the struggle ends I will be amazed at what I was able to do all because I knew God was with me. As I look to Resurrection Sunday, I am reminded that I am not alone I will over come. May God bless you and keep you make His face shine on you. Love Janet
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