John 4: 15-16
“The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.’”
He told her, ‘Go, call your husband and come back.’”
Dealing with God is always a bit disconcerting. After all, He knows everything there is to know. Fortunately for us our God and Creator is also a loving God. He knows that His creation is caught in a tension between good and evil. He knows how fragile his creation is. So much so that direct exposure to the face of their God will be too much for their human bodies to bear. In the same way, there are limits to how much Truth our psyches can bear.
Because of this reality, this fragility of our human natures, our God is extremely gentle in how he approaches us. Instead of confronting the woman at the well directly about her sins, Jesus draws the truth out even as she draws water out of the well. Her question to Jesus is motivated by a desire to avoid work. Her need, however, is more for the spiritual water of forgiveness than it is for the physical water of this world, so Jesus draws out the truth with a demonstration of his intimate knowledge of her life: “Go, call your husband and come back.”
Q: How does the Holy Spirit apply God’s intimate knowledge of a person in your ministry towards them?
Not answering your question but reading about how lovingly God treats us reminded me of Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Nice, Brentg!
Even when we are under God’s discipline that is true for all of us; believer and unbeliever, too.
Good points Brent and Jeff. I am just thankful that in a sea of humanity the Lord knows each person individually and treats us individually. He knows the true need of every person because He knows every person. I find that very comforting.
Before she can be forgiven she must admit her sin. Jesus points it out to her, just as the Holy Spirit convicts each of us. “Go call your husband and come back.” She has none.
If the woman would lied about her husband (or past husbands), I wonder how Jesus would have confronted her. This is how I should be asking the Holy Spirit to work with those I deal with in ministry.
I’m not sure if that answered the question. Think I cheated 🙃.
Robster,
I think you are right. Allowing the Holy Spirit to take the lead is a great way to go, actually the only way to go! 🙂
Not sure if I understand the question,..knowledge of a person in my ministry toward them? Toward who God or the person in my ministry,..then it’s not my ministry,..it’s God’s. I am a servant of His ministry and He gives me opportunities to help others in many different ways,..vocally, compassionately and prayerfully just to name a few. As far as the Holy Spirit applying God’s knowledge,..I believe that He works through people,..since the Holy Spirit resides within us,..there needs to be a conduit and we are the conduits that convey the power Jesus has given us through the Holy Spirit,..maybe I am missing the mark here, I have already fallen short as it is but like I said I am not sure if I understood the question,..keep smiling!
John,
The question was written from our human perspective. You are answering from a heavenly perspective. Your answer is just fine and what you say is quite true. Anyone who is part of the body of Christ has Jesus as their head, so our ministry is his ministry and vise versa.