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

Modern Day Samaritan Woman

This little light of mine!!!

I’m going to let it shine!!!

Like most kids of my generation I grew up singing this song in Sunday School and like most kids I really didn’t get it. The words were easy enough and the tune very catchy; but the actual “meaning” was beyond what I could understand. Even as an adult I couldn’t quite grasp what it meant to shine.

Did it mean I had to be a “In Your Face” Bible bashing kind of Christian ???  But then how did that work ??? When on the other hand we were taught to be discreet and have respect for the opinions and feelings of other people ???

Very confusing for this girl.

Until one day while reading my bible, Holy Spirit directed

 me to look at my bedside lamp…

I noticed that the light shone where it could. There were many dark corners in the room where it did not shine and many obstructions in the lights path, but it didn’t attempt to go around corners to light up every single obscure corner.

In addition, instead of lighting around the obstacles it illuminated them, and threw huge shadows of the obstacles across the walls, making them appear even larger…

The light didn’t fret about dark areas it couldn’t reach and it didn’t fret because it was a 40 watt globe… instead of a 100 Watt Globe.

It shone for what it was worth, for as far as it could shine and for as long as it was permitted to be switched on.

The interesting thing was the darkness was never really gone…It was merely over shadowed by the light… As soon as I turned my bedside lamp off the darkness was back.

In my attempt to shine my light in this world I also wanted to throw my light in there, wade in waist deep and rescue refugees, the homeless and abandoned; but to my disappointment I am simply not called or able to go across the world and rescue these people. And even if I did where would I take them?…Clearly I am not a 100 watt bulb like the Mother Theresa’s and all those other brave people who are doing just that. (And I don’t say this lightly…some people are doing amazing things)

Not to be deterred by this, I decided to assist the homeless and poor closer to home. This was done with relish and joy, until I realised that there were just too many hungry, poor, helpless people. Too many to feed and clothe and all the work and effort in the world didn’t change the fact that I could only help a very few of them at a time…Clearly I wasn’t a 60 watt bulb either.

What then could I do?

I could be available to those people who are in my life, who cross paths with me daily at work and at home and even here on my blog space. I can shine and share God’s Joy with those people I can reach and not fret about those that I can’t reach. (Of course I can still pray for them and care about what happens to them). I can shine in my little area, on the strength given to me by God and I can shine for as long as I am permitted to shine, and as brightly as I can manage.

I will never be able to push the darkness away. It is always there in the back ground but I can illuminate the small area where I do have influence and allow my light to reach the areas that it should. Perhaps even as small 40 watt globe my light will illuminate the obstacles and evil in my world and make them larger than life, so that they can be exposed and removed.

A light is a light no matter how small or how dim…

So, sing with me…”This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine….”

Do you like me often wonder what you can do to make the world a better place? And then feel overwhelmed when the needs out there are really more than you imagined or can manage.

*Hugs* till next time.

Ariéte