Modern
Day Samaritan Woman
Are
you a Samaritan Woman?
Sisterhood
– Different Directive
The
following are excerpts from one of my previous posts. I’m including them here
so that you, my special reader don’t have to jump from page to page to
understand what I’m trying to say in this post (Its very annoying for me when I
am directed all over the place, trying to follow the gist of a post; therefore
I do not want to do the same to you. However if you do want to read the whole
post please click here.
Why
I hear you ask do you call yourself a modern day Samaritan Woman?
While driving to work one day (several years ago), the Lord spoke to me so clearly and said “Do
you realize that you are a modern day Samaritan Woman?”
Me,
a Samaritan Woman? No, never!!! Wasn’t she a ‘bad woman’? A questionable lady
with a number of men? We all heard that story in Sunday School and Church
Sermons and we all know she was the example of who NOT to be.
I thought about it the whole day and couldn’t wait to get
home from work to read her story in John 4. Interestingly, her name is never
mentioned. Neither is there any mention of her character, children, parents,
siblings or her life, except from the fact that she had, had several husbands
and the man she was living with at the time was not her husband.
I related to her story. I never had several husbands, but
I had known three men and the one I was living with was NOT my husband. This
started a journey of honest reflection and serious thought about this
mysterious lady that Jesus had taken the time to speak with, just as he had
done with me in my car that morning.
Was she really a “bad” woman? I didn’t believe I was a “bad”
woman.
Was it her lifelong dream to have several husbands /
lovers?
It wasn’t mine. At sweet sixteen, I never dreamed of
knowing three men. I wanted the same as all young girls. My own husband to love
“forever and ever after”.
However, regardless of what I had dreamed as a young
girl, a series of circumstances and bad decisions had brought me to this place.
Forty something, divorced, living with a man and yet I dared to call myself a
Christian.
·
Could it be that the Samaritan Woman had not
merely jumped from man to man at random, but perhaps life, circumstances and
bad decisions had also brought her to the place she was in when she met
Jesus?
·
Could we suppose that she may have been
widowed by one of her five husbands (surely not her doing)?
·
Could we suppose that one of the five had
perhaps committed adultery and abandoned her
(or perhaps she had fallen into an affair – making a huge mistake)?
·
Could we suppose that one of them may have
abused her, forcing her to have to leave for her own survival?
·
Perhaps her step children could not accept
her.
·
Could we suppose that by the time she had
reached number five she was so worn out, tired of struggle and disappointment
and desperately longing for true companionship?
·
Could we suppose that despite the disapproval
of those around her that she just moved in obstinately with man number five,
and ignored the voices of reason in her own mind?
We will never know, because the bible is silent regarding
the circumstances that brought her to the place where she was. I don’t want to insinuate she was totally
innocent, as we are all sinners and make wrong choices; however I am more
inclined to understand her and
empathise.
I am more inclined to grant her grace and mercy in spite of what she may have
done or failed to do. Why? Because I related to her on so many levels that I
could have been her. I almost wish I could stretch back through the ages and
give her a huge hug. When I close my eyes and listen closely I can hear her say
“This too shall pass!!!”
I started paying attention and realized that there are
many unnamed Samaritan Women’s voices echoing through the ages. Their stories
untold and unknown. There were and are still many women just like me and that
dear woman at the well. Broken, weary, abandoned woman can be found
in-between lives, jobs and even men. Seeking, always seeking for that place of “absolute
belonging”. Yes you know what I mean. If like me, you have had it and lost
it you never stop searching for it. You are always aware that you don’t have
it. It drives you to do desperate things that you ordinarily would never have
done.
If this is you and you can also relate then I want to say
to you:
“This
too shall pass”
Those
of you who have been following my blog will know that although I did remarry,
it didn’t work out and I found myself back on the dusty road, clutching my
belongings…back again between lives…abandoned, abused and discarded. It sounds
dramatic I know; but this truly how I felt…its how I still feel.
However,
on the bright side, my Maker, my Saviour met me at the well “AGAIN” and this
time He has given me a very different directive.
Different
in that instead of reluctantly walking away from this life into my new life, I was
challenged to stand in the gap for my husband and my marriage.
Risky?
Definitely, my husband has already written me and our marriage off, broken off
all meaningful communication and informed me to make a decision fast, as he
intended to find someone else.
Lonely?
Very lonely, but this loneliness drives me into Father lap every night, where I
can spend as long as I want, being comforted and strengthened.
Foolhardy?
Maybe? But I have to ask myself. How badly do I want to have a successful
marriage? How sincere were my vows in the first place? How pure and deep was my
love for my husband?…no buts allowed here. (This is not about what he brought
or didn’t bring to the marriage.) This is solely about me.
The choice if mine of course. I could
close this chapter, move on… perhaps even meet someone new…Husband number three…At
this rate I’m catching up to my former Samaritan Woman fast.
Or I could stop being a passive victim of circumstances and life and I could
actively take this battle up a notch or two and conduct some strategic,
definite and very deliberate warfare on behalf of my husband, my step children
and our marriage.
So, dear sister, if you have read this far, I have decided to take the
hugest risk of my life.
I have decided to stand in for my husband and my
marriage.
I have decided to place my trust completely in my Father
in Heaven and follow as He directs. I have chosen to place my husband and step
children in his care and to dedicate all of my spare time and passion to prayer
and supplication on his behalf.
I have no idea what my husband is doing or where he
is. I have no idea what his thoughts are and whether he even thinks of my or
our marriage at all. Communication is sporadic at best or non-existent at worst.
I have no idea what the ultimate outcome of this is
going to be. Truly, I am in the dark here…This is truly the impossible…
But I do know….My Jesus…His word is Truth…
My Father… is unchanging and He is I AM…
My Holy Spirit…comforter, counsellor and prayer
partner, praying on my behalf when words fail me, when hope eludes me,….when
despair threatens to overwhelm me.
I have spoken of my faith and love of God
frequently in this blog but the time has come for me to put my faith where my
mouth is.
I love my husband…so
I proclaim publically that I intend to wait and
win my beloved husband back… not by might or by power…but by the power of the
Spirit… (And before someone thinks I have
ulterior motives. I don’t. There is no emotional abuse involved towards my
husband…He has never read my blog posts, so I hardly expect him to start now. Despite
placing this blog post on a public forum he will never see it so will be unaware
of my challenge. I prefer it that way).
During the past few weeks I have become very aware
of the fact that marriages are breaking up at an alarming rate and that there
are hundreds of woman just like me. Alone, abandoned, lonely and distraught…If
this is you please feel free to join me on Face Book “Samaritan Woman”
Sisterhood, for encouragement, updates and fellowship with other like-minded
women.
On my next blog post I intend to write out the
practical steps I have taken regarding my abovementioned decision. Perhaps you
are also praying for your marriage, husband, loved one…and would like to share
how you remain strong, how you get up in the morning and function, while
waiting for the answer to prayer.
Please leave a comment. I would love to hear
from all my Samaritan Sisters.
*Hugs* till next time
Ariete
