A Friend Indeed
Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.[b] She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” John 4:6-10
My parents instilled a lot of good things in me. However, some of those good behaviors can be a two-edged sword, and one of them is my tendency to be independent. I try not to be a burden on others because they taught me to depend on myself to take care of things. Many times, I did just that. What at times it seemed to do was push others away. I never understood why. I loved to volunteer helping others move and was always available to help a friend in need. But I thought maybe I surrounded myself with people like me. Even worse, others did not want to bother me to help because I myself never put my hand out when I might have needed them. In an effort not to inconvenience others, I was perhaps ‘inconvenient.’ That is a horrible thought! Then it hit me. An old saying went, “A friend in need is a friend indeed.” Friendship is not just about being there for others. It is also about being willing to say ‘help’ when you need something or someone. Furthermore, it is not just when you need something. Sometimes, it is just to let someone know you are thinking of and care about them.
So, I asked is that the relationship I have with God? I did not think so, but I caught myself. Do I go to God only when I need Him, and it is ‘convenient?’ Or do I walk with Him sharing the joys in my life and showing appreciation for Him just being there. I know He is God, but there is a reason He is also called ‘friend.’ It is a relationship with give and take. If I truly love God, shouldn’t I give Him all of me? He wants all our heart and not just a mere majority or portion of it. So today, I took a moment to thank God for another day. Not that He did anything that I could think of per say, but I was thankful simply because I had a day where nothing bad happened and I could share that it was a relatively easy day. That is what you can do with a friend, right?
God is our true friend because He wants a full relationship with us. When reading the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, we tend to focus on the gift of Jesus giving her the living water of eternal life. We rarely look at the circumstance that led up to that gift being offered to her. Jesus asked her, “Please give me a drink.” This is God the Son, who makes wine out water, feeds thousands with a few loaves a bread and fish, and resurrects from death on the cross. So, ask yourself why does He need to ask for anything? It is the lesson I had to learn myself, which is that a true friend is always willing to reach out to you. Even the Samaritan woman was skeptical of Jesus’s request, and tried to remind what request He had made. She believed she was not worthy to talk to Him let alone give Him something, but Jesus knew she needed something far more important than a drink water from a well. The best way to draw her unto Him was not to just give her the gift. It was to ask for something first, and only then, would she be willing to hear and ultimately accept His gift. Furthermore, if God wants all our hearts, we are not being a true friend by coming to Him only when we are in need. We are to give all of ourselves. A sermon I heard said our lives would be so much better if we asked God to watch over us before the storms arrive instead of praying for help when the storm hits. It is all about the relationship!
A friend of God embraces Him no matter what is going on. Whether at the top of the mountain, bottom of the valley, or more importantly, just on steady ground, we know God is with us. Let us remember that God wants all of us like we sing the chorus of an old hymnal:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee
Every hour, I need Thee
Oh, bless me now, my Savior
I come to Thee - I Need Thee Every Hour
How can you always give thanks to God? What practices do you need to build a stronger and less superficial relationship with Him? My prayer is that we remember the friend we have in God is a friend indeed. Amen.
Contribution to ‘The Hope Fellowship’ by Kent Williams