Today’s Reading: John 4:1-42

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” – Matthew 11:27

JESUS SPEAKS OF RELATIONSHIP AND A CONTINUED CONNECTION TO HIM.

Everything Jesus did and everything he said was rooted in his relationship with the Father and the unity that exists between them. Jesus is offering us that same relationship — that same connection to God through His Son. When we are blessed with this connection, He calls us to bring others to Him so that they too can experience a relationship with God.

The Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well was thirsty for something different in her life. She longed for this “living water” that Jesus spoke of and knew there were many others who would want to encounter Jesus just as she had. The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village to tell everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” – John 4:29

In the meantime, the disciples returned with food for Jesus and He turned His focus on them, speaking again in symbolic language. Jesus turned down their offer for food and they wondered who had fed Jesus while they were in town. They did not understand the fulfillment Jesus had received by doing the will of His Heavenly Father.

Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.” – John 4:34-38

Jesus knew there was no greater fulfillment in life than to be in the center of God’s will – doing what God wants us to do where He wants us to do it, impacting the lives of those He places in our path. Jesus did not want to miss one opportunity to offer the gift of life to God’s children.

“For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” — John 6:38-40

When the Samaritan woman went back to the village to tell them about Jesus, the people came streaming out to see him. Many believed and asked Jesus to stay in their village, so he stayed for two days. He could have said he was too busy or was on his way to do something more important, but he stayed. In those two days, many more people heard his message and believed. They turned to the woman and said, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the World” (4:42).

The fields were ripe for harvest – the people were hungry for an encounter with Jesus! Do we desire to do the will of God today, even if it requires getting out of our comfort zone and leading someone to Jesus? My prayer today is that God will show us the fields that are ripe for harvest – that the harvest we reap today will be people who are brought to eternal life. What joy we will experience if we allow God to use us in this way today!

“We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.” — John 9:4

Our time is limited. May we seek to do God’s will today, listening to our Heavenly Father and responding to His Spirit’s voice. May we see through His eyes the harvest around us and may we sense the urgency to carry out the tasks assigned to us by the One who sent us. May we remain rooted in our relationship with Christ so that He is working through us in every area of our life.