Can I finally get to today’s SOAP Lord?

On a good day I’m kicking off SOAP by 7am, but it’s now 430 PM and I’ve been writing all day and just now starting today’s deep dive into God’s Word.

His ways are truly not our ways.

It would have been much easier to knock this out this morning and spend the rest of the day watching Netflix or cruising down to the beach.

But, as is always the case, I know there is a profound reason why SOAP is the anchor to close out the day and not the spark that ignited this day.

I’ve been through a lot today, and yesterday. Soul searching can be a dark and heavy journey, but oh so sweet if we take Jesus with us.

And how much more so when we let Him lead.

So Father, once again I say Amen.

Let’s do this!

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Scripture

John 4:15-26 (ESV)

¹⁵ The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” ¹⁷ The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; ¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” ¹⁹ The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. ²⁰ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” ²¹ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ²² You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³ But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” ²⁵ The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” ²⁶ Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

Observation

• v15 – Sir, give me this water… so I won’t have to come here and get water
• v16, 17, 18 – Jesus said…
• v19 – I perceive that you are a prophet
• v21,23 – the hour is coming when…
• v22 – You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
• v23 – true worshipers will worship in spirit and truth
• v23 – the Father is seeking such people to worship him
• v26 – I who speak to you am he {who will tell all things v25)

Application

v15 – This is just another example of how people expected Jesus to make their corporal lives easier. She is thinking she won’t have to fetch water at the well anymore because she will no longer be physically thirsty. Many of the Jews believed “the Messiah” was going to overthrow Rome in the physical sense.

How many ways do I underestimate and misinterpret the goodness God wants to do in my life?

In what ways do I fall back into wishing God was a supernatural gumball machine instead of “just” the Savior of my soul?

v16, 17, 18 – Oh man, can you imagine Jesus exposing your laundry list?

Yes Jesus, I want an easier life… OK great, first you are going to have to eat the elephant in the room, you ready?

v19 – “I perceive…” gee, ya think? You know everything about me, are you special or something?

I can’t even count the number of undeniable revelations and rescues God has done in my life. yet in how many ways do I minimize their significance?

God moves heaven and hell for us… yeah, it’s cool… COOL?!?!?! HE’S GOD!!!! Much more than just cool. 

v21,23 – The hour is coming, the hour is here.

What is coming, what is here? This sounds important. 

v23 – People will worship in truth and spirit, this is who the Father is looking for.

Do I worship in truth and spirit? Do I even know what worshipping in truth and spirit looks like? (I just had to take some time to research it)

Do you know what it means?

If we don’t know what “worship in truth and spirit” means how can we be assured we are doing it properly?

v26 – I am He. That gives me goosebumps, can you imagine?. If you saw my earlier post on Hardened Hearts, this thought of being face to face with God Himself stirs my soul.

In reality, I should feel like I’m in His presence all the time, but do I though?

Do you?

Prayer

 Lord God, you are mighty to save. You are mighty in Grace. You are mighty in Power. YOU ARE MIGHTY. In how many ways do I take You for granted, I shudder to think. I know there are confessed but not repented corners of my heart that needs exercising by Your Word and Spirit through greater obedience. I have no doubt that if I held on tightly to Your Presence and Power, I would have no ability to maintain the illusion of hidden dungeons in my heart. May Your name be Hallowed always, thank You for the continued revelations and righteous convictions through Your Love Letter to us, the Bible. Let not my self-perceived knowledge betray my lack of wisdom, give me the courage to continue to look in the mirror of Your mercy and not just weep in gratitude, but respond in kind with soul-transforming actions of the redeemed heart. 

What a day! As worn emotionally, physically and spiritually as I am from doing 3 blogs today, I’m not tired of writing or reflecting on the Goodness of God. I suspect this revival of writing and thirst for being closer to God is a direct result of my 13 days (and counting) of daily committment to this SOAP journey.

We aren’t supposed to follow God when we feel like it or when it’s convenient. We need to ensure the Armour is strong every minute of every day. That process may look different for everyone, but I suspect the heart of everyone looks the same to Jesus when we are worshipping properly.

My prayers that your day is one that brings you peace and joy and glorifies God, in any way possible.

Blessings in Christ,

George