Contemplative Bible Reading

John 4:10 (New Living Translation)

10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

This is one of those sentences in scripture that puzzles me. In one case, “if you only knew the gift God has for you” shows how much greater God is than my little imagination. In another case, it shows that God has things for me that I don’t understand, so how could I ask for them if I don’t understand them? Please God, give me a break here. Let me know.

Well, God does let me know in ways that I don’t understand. I am back to “I don’t understand, so how could I understand?” Please God, give me a break here. It is sort of like back in school in the ancient days when the teachers told us, “If you don’t know how to spell a word, find it in the dictionary.” We cried about if we could find it in the dictionary we knew how to spell it and so we went around in circles with those misspelled words (then computers came along that underlined the misspelled words in red, but I digress).

Then again, maybe God is like those computers that underline misspelled words in red. I don’t type words I don’t know how to spell unless I am pushing myself beyond what I consider to be my boundaries. Maybe I grow in understanding of God when I push myself beyond what I consider to be my boundaries. Note, I grow in understanding; I don’t fully understand God, but I grow. Progress in the right direction.

This woman at the well didn’t know what God was offering. Hence, she couldn’t ask for it. A few days later, she understood more and she could ask for more so she could understand more and ask for more so she could… And on it goes.

Ask. Seek. Find. Please God, help me in my unbelief.