What can we learn from Jesus resting by Jacob's well in John 4:6? Setting the Scene “and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, wearied from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.” (John 4:6) Rest Shows Jesus’ Genuine Humanity • Weariness is a normal human limitation; the Word truly “became flesh” (John 1:14). • Hebrews 4:15 assures us He is “able to sympathize with our weaknesses,” because He felt fatigue, hunger (Luke 4:2), and sleepiness (Matthew 8:24). • His real humanity grounds the reality of His substitutionary death and bodily resurrection. Rest Models a God-Designed Rhythm • Rest is woven into creation—“On the seventh day God finished His work…and He rested” (Genesis 2:2-3). • Jesus honors that pattern: “Come with Me privately to a solitary place and rest awhile” (Mark 6:31). • Practical takeaway: building pauses into our schedules is both obedience and wisdom, not laziness. Rest Becomes a Divine Appointment • By stopping, Jesus is exactly where the Father wants Him when the Samaritan woman arrives (John 4:7). • Proverbs 16:9: “A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” • Seemingly mundane moments can become gospel moments when we stay available. Rest Bridges Cultural Barriers • Jews customarily avoided Samaritans, yet Jesus’ humble posture—seated, thirsty—opens conversation across deep ethnic, religious, and gender divides (John 4:9). • In our own pauses, we can notice people we might otherwise overlook. Rest Creates Space to Address Deeper Thirst • Physical thirst points to spiritual thirst. Jesus tells her, “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst” (John 4:14). • Later He cries, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37). • Only the Messiah can satisfy the soul’s drought (Isaiah 55:1; Jeremiah 2:13). Rest Clarifies Mission Priority • The disciples return urging Him to eat. Jesus replies, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me” (John 4:34). • Physical rest serves spiritual readiness; it’s never an end in itself. Lessons to Embrace Today – Acknowledge human limits; taking breaks is Christ-like, not weak. – Trust God’s sovereignty over unplanned pauses; He arranges encounters. – Use restful moments to notice and engage people on the margins. – Let physical needs remind you—and those around you—of the need for living water. – Keep mission central: rest refreshes us to “walk in the good works God prepared beforehand” (Ephesians 2:10). |
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