At Anna's Gate, I recently taught on the Samaritan woman who most likely was a widow by all types since she "lacked in a husband" and had been married to five men. According to the Hebrew and Greek translations, a widow includes being alone by death of spouse, by divorce and by circumstance. In John chapter four the Lord goes to a city named Sychar in Samaria. Talk about booze...the city means "drunken city"! And the Lord asks the widow for a drink! This woman is an outcast, filling her water pot at noon in the heat of the day to avoid judgment from the local women. Jesus spoke not only to a Samaritan which Jews usually did not do, but He also spoke to a woman, which was really frowned upon! To make it worse, she was a woman with not a good reputation! The Jews did not have "dealings" or "agreement" with the Samaritans.
(In the middle eastern culture, it has been said if you ask someone for a drink, you are asking for covenant for a day!) When he asked her for a drink, she was amazed that He even spoke to her and asked Him why? Jesus replied that if she knew the Gift of God offered her, she would ask Him for Living Water! That it would be a spring that would never run dry! (Now that's nourishment in a drink!)
"Sammie" (I like to call her) asked the Lord if He was greater than "our" father, Jacob that gave them the well? Without realizing it, Sammie is finding a place of agreement with Jesus since both the generational roots went back to Jacob! He's offered her covenant, not just for a day but one that won't run out!
Jesus ministers to Sammie by the well while His disciples went into town for food. When they come back and offer him something to eat, He tells them He has had "meat" they know not of! (Also, in the Middle Eastern culture it's said to ask for a meal, it is asking for covenant for a lifetime!) He explains that His meal was doing the will of the Father!
God has offered us not only Living Water but also the ability to eat with Him by doing His will and "finishing the work he has sent us to do". (John 4:34) Now that is satisfying! Better than "Boost"!
Sammie's real name according to history is Photine. And since Photine was a widow, God honored Proverbs 15:25 and established her territory! Because she came into covenant with the Lord Jesus and drank from His eternal well, she introduced her whole city to Him! History tells us that she became an Apostle to Africa and three of her sisters and two of her sons became full-time evangelists! All because she traded her Booze for Boost!
February 15th is our annual "He's My Valentine" party for widows and single ladies in our region! It's for widows of all types (alone, due to death of spouse, divorce or by circumstance.) It is our opportunity to celebrate the Lord as our ultimate Valentine that fills every need and makes our lives complete! This year we will be honoring the "First Responders" in our community including our Law Enforcement, Fire Fighters, EMTs, Chaplains etc. We are looking for sponsors of the tables ($250 for 10 ladies to attend) and for First Responders to connect with. Please email us at info@annasgate,org or leave a message at our number to register for the event. To sponsor a table go to annasgate.org under donate and write "Sponsorship".