Unexpected Encounter

Unexpected Encounters Bring Emotional Healing

She walked to the well as usual on this particular day to draw water. Since she was an outcast from her society, she came to draw at midday because she wasn’t welcome to join the “other women” of the town in the morning when it was cool. She had had five husbands and was not married to the man she was currently living with. She had messed up. She wasn’t perfect, unlike the “other women” of the town who obviously thought they were.

But, The Woman at the Well, as referred to in John 4, had an unexpected encounter with Jesus that particular day when He asked her to give Him a drink of water. She was a bit confused that this man had asked her to give Him a drink of water since He was a Jew, and she was a woman of Samaria for which the Jews had no dealings.

As their conversation continued, He spoke to her of the living water that He could give her where she would never thirst again. She explained her encounter this way: “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah John 4:29 NLT?”

Recently, while studying this familiar passage of scripture, I was reminded of the many “unexpected encounters” I had had with the Lord over the years. My first, of course, was the moment of salvation. After that, there were many times He, indeed, told me things about myself that only He knew; things I had not dared to share with any other person.

· He told me about hurts from my past.

· He told me about His healing power from those hurts.

· He told me about the failures I had held onto that He had forgiven.

· He told me about my new identity in Him.

· He told me about His plan and purpose for me, despite my feelings of inadequacies.

Just like The Woman at the Well, He seemingly had told me everything there was to know

about me over the years, at least I thought He had. However, as I reflected upon this passage once again, He seemed to be saying something different to me: “You are living on your past encounters. You need a fresh encounter with Me.”

Something instantly leaped up inside of me that filled me with excitement. I know that a fresh encounter with the Lord awaits me and another layer of emotional healing will take place.

Reflection

Describe at least one past encounter you have had with the Lord where an emotional healing occurred?
Do you think the encounter The Woman at the Well had with Jesus was a coincidence or a God incident? What leads you to your conclusion?
Do you feel that you need another encounter with Jesus for another layer of emotional healing to take place in your life?