By Leif Lind, August 5, 2015 in Brukernes eget forum
Edited August 5, 2015 by Werner Kvalem Vesterås
Edited August 5, 2015 by Berit Knudsen December 2016 - The Word for Today
Jesus asked the woman at the well for a drink of water. Surprised that a Jew would talk to a Samaritan, she asked Him why He was asking her for water. He replied: ‘If you knew…who I am, you would be asking me for…living water. Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst – not ever’ (vv. 10, 13-14 MSG). Notice the distinction between ‘this water’ and ‘the water I give.’ Jesus wasn’t discussing regional water qualities. He was talking about her five failed marriages and the man she was currently living with. The truth is, she had no idea how or where to find the satisfaction she’d thirsted for. One disappointing relationship after another; no matter how often she drank from ‘this water’ her thirst could not be satisfied. And her response to each failed relationship was another failed relationship – thinking, as we sometimes do, that doing more of what doesn’t work will eventually make it work. Jesus wasn’t criticising her lack of morals. Instead, He was offering her the only real cure for emptiness – a relationship with God. ‘Anyone who drinks the water…I give will never thirst again.’ Focusing our life on Jesus, spending time with Him, talking with Him, and ‘drinking in’ His Word every day will absolutely fill the void within us.
‘n Verhoudingsverslaafde vind blywende bevrediging
“Wie egter van die water drink wat Ek hom gee, sal nimmer as te nooit weer dors word...” Johannes 4:14 NLV
Jesus het vir die vrou by die put vir water gevra om te drink. Verras dat ‘n Jood met ‘n Samaritaan sou praat, het sy Hom gevra hoekom Hy haar vir water gevra het. Hy het geantwoord: ‘…As jy maar net… geweet het wie dit is wat vir jou vra… sou jy Hóm gevra het en Hy sou vir jou lewende water gegee het wat tot die ewige lewe lei… Elkeen wat van hierdie water drink, sal weer dors word. Wie egter van die water drink wat Ek hom gee, sal nimmer as te nooit weer dors word…’ (verse 10, 13-14 NLV). Let op die onderskeid tussen ‘hierdie water’ en ‘die water wat Ek hom gee’. Jesus was nie besig om die kwaliteit van water in die verskillende streke te bespreek nie. Hy het van haar vyf mislukte huwelike en die man met wie sy huidiglik gewoon het, gepraat. Sy het geen idee gehad hoe of waar om die bevrediging te kry waarna sy gedors het nie. Een teleurstellende verhouding na die ander; dit maak nie saak hoe gereeld sy van ‘hierdie water’ gedrink het nie, haar dors kon nie geles word nie. Jesus het nie haar tekort aan morele waardes gekritiseer nie. Nee, Hy het aan haar die enigste ware oplossing vir leegheid gegee. ‘Wie egter van die water drink wat Ek hom gee, sal nimmer as te nooit weer dors word…’ Waarna jy ook al vir vervulling draai – dwelms, alkohol, seks, pornografie, reeksverhoudings, geld, of populariteit – dis alles water wat nooit jou dors sal les nie. Deur jou lewe op Jesus te fokus, tyd saam met Hom te spandeer, met Hom te praat, en daagliks sy Woord ‘in te drink’, sal verseker die leemte binne in jou vul.
“But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.”	John 4:14 NLT
Jesus asked the woman at the well for a drink of water. Surprised that a Jew would talk to a Samaritan, she asked Him why He was asking her for water. He replied: “If you knew…who I am, you would be asking me for…living water. Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever” (vv. 10, 13-14 MSG). Notice the distinction between “this water” and “the water I give.” Jesus wasn’t discussing regional water qualities. He was talking about her five failed marriages and the man she was currently living with. The truth is, she had no idea how or where to find the satisfaction she’d thirsted for. One disappointing relationship after another; no matter how often she drank from “this water” her thirst could not be satisfied. And her response to each failed relationship was another failed relationship—supposing, as we often do, that doing more of what doesn’t work will eventually make it work! Jesus wasn’t criticizing her lack of morals. No, He was offering her the only real cure for emptiness. “Anyone who drinks the water…I give will never thirst again.” Whatever you’re looking to for fulfillment—drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography, serial relationships, money, or popularity—it’s all water that can never satisfy. Focusing your life on Jesus, spending time with Him, talking with Him, and “drinking in” His Word daily will absolutely fill the void within you.
Jesus looked for people prepared to do more than just believe in Him—He wanted people willing to follow Him. His early ministry was marked by people like Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathaniel (see John 1:35-52): people willing to leave where they were and what they owned in order to follow Him. Jesus called people to a life of complete commitment. When He ‘called the crowd to Him…He said, “If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives”’ (Mark 8:34 NCV). He didn’t want part-time followers. Trusting in Jesus will get us to heaven, but we have a purpose here on earth too. And to be useful on earth we need to be following Him daily. Three different men told Jesus, ‘I will follow you, Lord’ (Luke 9:61 NIV), but they weren’t willing to give up the priorities of their old lives (See v. 62). Jesus responded with this powerful metaphor: ‘Anyone who puts a hand to the plough and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.’ Following Jesus means we can’t keep looking back. Whatever is behind us needs to stay there – whether that’s past failure, guilt, fear, shame, betrayal, loss, abuse, rejection, resentment, and unforgiveness. Leaving these things behind is easier said than done, but we can’t let the past ruin our future. So let’s hand over our past to God, fix our eyes on what’s ahead and join those willing to ‘follow the Lamb wherever He goes’ (Revelation 14:4 NKJV).
Moenie terugkyk nie
“...Enigiemand wat... terugkyk, is nie geskik vir die koningsheerskappy van God nie.” Lukas 9:62 NLV
Jesus het mense uitgesoek wat bereid was om meer te doen as om net in Hom te glo – Hy wou mense gehad het wat gewillig was om Hom te volg. Sy vroeë bediening is deur mense soos Andreas, Petrus, Filippus en Natanael geken (Sien Johannes 1:35-52); mense wat bereid was om alles wat hulle was en besit het agter te laat om Hom te volg. Jesus het mense tot ‘n lewe van radikale toewyding geroep. ‘Toe roep Jesus sy dissipels en die skare na Hom toe en sê vir hulle: ‘As enigeen van julle my volgelinge wil wees, moet julle julle eie, selfsugtige ambisie prysgee, julle kruis opneem en agter My aankom’’ (Markus 8:34 NLV). Geen halfhartige pogings nie, maar ‘n bereidwilligheid om Hom voltyds te volg. Om op Jesus te vertrou sal jou in die hemel kry, maar niks minder as om Hom daagliks te volg, sal jou bruikbaar vir sy koninkryk hier op aarde maak nie. Drie verskillende mans het vir Jesus gesê, ‘…’Ja, Here, ek sal U volg…’’ (Lukas 9:61 NLV), maar hulle was nie bereid om die prioriteite van hulle ou lewens te laat staan nie (Sien vers 62). Jesus het met hierdie kragtige metafoor gereageer: ‘…Enigiemand wat ‘n hand aan die ploeg slaan en dan terugkyk, is nie geskik vir die koningsheerskappy van God nie.’ Om Jesus te volg beteken dat wat ook al daar agter is, daar agter bly – ou verbintenisse, onsekerhede en lewenstyle. Jy kan nie die reguit sloot van dissipelskap ploeg deur na die verlede te kyk nie. Moenie dat ou mislukkings, skuldgevoelens, vrese, skaamte, verraad, verlies, misbruik, verwerping, wrokke en onvergifnis jou toekoms ruїneer nie. Sny die koord; sluit aan by diegene wat ‘…die Lam [volg] waar Hy ook al lei…’ (Openbaring 14:4 NLV).