Lent

God is spirit and it is necessary to worship God in spirit and truth. (John 4:24 CEB)

She went to the well to draw water. A task she had done daily for most of her life. In the midst of this routine part of her life she encountered a stranger and everything changed. From Jesus she learned that worship was not focused on a place or time. God's Spirit was everywhere and you can encounter God at any time, in any encounter with another and in the midst of the most routine tasks. This truth transformed her life.

There is a church in Samaria over what is claimed to be Jacob's well, the site of this encounter. Here they honor this woman, who before this meeting with Jesus, was shunned because of her questionable lifestyle. This church considers her to be a saint, one to be honored and whose life teaches us how to live. All because she was open to God's spirit breaking into the routine of her life.

As you go through these days of Lent, look for God's Spirit in every moment. Be surprised at where it explodes into your life. Be expectant that God might be wanting to transform you just as the woman at the well was transformed.

Prayer

Loving God, fill us with your Spirit. Make us aware of your presence everywhere and in likeness to you. Amen.

This devotional was written by Rev. Bill Green, and read by Joey Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.