Christians desire to live as a new creation, hoping to be renewed inwardly day by day and experience transformation in their lives. They also hope they can be powerful and also bring power to other people. However, it is inevitable for us to get entangled in our habitual sins and, as a result, our life seems to go round in circles.
Chapter 4 of the Gospel of John records a famous talk between Jesus and a Samaritan woman. Samaritans have mixed beliefs in which pure Judaism is mingled with the idols of heathens. They were despised and rejected the Jewish people with both sides in a state of separation.
But Jesus started the talk with the woman, ignoring the custom. Moreover, the woman wanted to know God and live a God-centered life.
Similarly, we have mixed beliefs like the woman. We, who are chosen to be the consecrated people of God, are often affected by the values of the world causing our faith to lose its purity and many worldly idols enter into our hearts. In that way, our faith life is flat like water, losing the freshness in Christ and the power to change. What should we do?
A deep answer and explanation were given in Jesus' conversation the woman:
He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
"I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.
The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." (John 4:16-18)
How to turn a hybrid faith into pure faith? By bringing over our husbands, and marrying the Lord Jesus who really loves us.
When do we start transforming and become powerful? It begins with an extremely pure love relationship with the Lord. Our life will be changed into wine that gets better as it grows older.
The woman claimed that she had no husband because she couldn't get satisfaction from what she loved. So do we. Our hearts are never satisfied and it is always empty when we regard something else as important rather than our husbands whom we love. The Lord can give us water so that we will never be thirsty when we offer our hearts to Him.
Then, the Lord talked about worship.
"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24)
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. (Hosea 6:6)
We need to know that God wants us to know Him and put our faith into action. In God's eyes, what matters more than sacrifices are our hearts. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. " (Romans 12:1)
God wants to see people who live out His word. Worship and life are one, not separated.
How can our lives change? When we see the real husband -- Jesus and live according to God's word.
Translated by Karen Luo
