Gift

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink”, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”  John 4:10

Gift – The woman at the well made the wrong assumptions.  Her assumptions keep her from hearing the point Jesus communicated.  It’s not about the water.  It’s the fact that it’s free.

If we finally perceive that life is revealed, not discovered, then what it is that God reveals to us?  God reveals that His gift is free. The word “gift” is dorea.  This is the only place in the Gospels where the word is used like this, emphasizing the “free” quality of the gift rather than the content of the gift.  So many times God presents a free gift that we just don’t see.  We are stuck on “how” and “where” and “when” while God is pointing at “who”.

Are you fully aware of the free gift or are you running around looking for information?   God’s direction is not about more information.  It’s about reflecting on that deep revelation from the living water within.  God gives.  That is the secret to life.  When we fully perceive the nature of God’s gift, life becomes joyful reception and continuous thanksgiving.  We stop hunting when we start receiving.

Jesus may be confronting you at the well in your life.  He is ready to give you the free gift of God.  But you are focused on how to get water from the well.  He is trying to tell you that life’s answers are given – revealed – but you are pushing to gather more information.  Jesus is asking you to let go of your need, but you can’t get past today’s problems.  Life is given, not acquired.  God gives freely.  He does not need to be appeased or convinced.  Jesus told us that we don’t have what we desperately need because we don’t ask.

When you come to the well, do you struggle for every drop of refreshment?  Time to reflect on the gift.