In a Mirror Dimly

Scripture

John 4:19-21

The woman said to Him, “Sir , I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 “Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her,”Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 

Observation

Everyone has an appointed judgment hour.

Application

The elephant in the room…judgment hour. How often I am scared to go there with people. Jesus is not because He knows the stakes and He knows that all whom the Father gives him will come to him. Jesus says in John 10:27-28, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”  Jesus looks into this woman’s future apart from saving belief, and sees judgment that leads to eternal separation. There is NO place she will worship the Father apart from a spiritual rebirth (living water). Religion has never cut it. There is nothing you can do right on this earth to worship the Father. It’s stunning really…and offensive to people. There is NO way to please the Father by my own doing. For thirty years I thought that I really wasn’t that bad and I thought I was a Christian. I had NO idea that my definition of “being a good person” was fatally different than God’s. I have a friend of the family right now who lies in a hospice bed marking hours until she meets God face to face. She is not without some hope. The question is whether or not it is true Hope. She has spent her life being religious. Maybe she really has tasted the living water. It is possible. But I have enough doubt that there is no reason I shouldn’t tell her about the good news one more time.

Prayer

Father, as long as we have breath, we have an opportunity to turn in repentance and faith. Remind us that we live among a people with false hope. Give us courage today to speak of the One Blessed True Hope.