Don’t Leave Your Gift Unopened!
“Jesus replied, ‘If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to,
you would ask Me, and I would give you living water.’”
John 4:10 (NLT)
Wouldn’t it be tragic to discover that God had a gift for you that you never opened? I think eternity will reveal innumerable gifts left unopened, never received, that were available and waiting for us to unwrap. When Jesus encountered a woman at Jacob’s well in Samaria, He offered her a gift that would change her life forever! She was as completely unaware of that gift as we are today. He knew the longing in her heart for unconditional love and acceptance. She had a thirst that nothing was satisfying. Her longing for love left her empty and alone in the heat of the day at the same well again and again. Jesus looked beyond her physical needs to the desires of her heart and said,
“Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:13-14 (NLT)
Jesus offered her the gift of living water; the gift of eternal life - a fresh start with forgiveness and an intimate relationship with the living God! What a gift! He offers the same gift to you and me today! You can begin again! You don’t have to keep drinking from a well that will never satisfy! Real satisfaction comes when we discover our significance in Christ! Only Jesus can satisfy your soul. She responded immediately,
“‘Please, sir,’ the woman said, ‘give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again….” John 4:15 (NLT)
How would you respond? Have you received the gift that God has for you? Would you come to the source of living water and find your thirst satisfied in Christ? Not long ago, I received an e-mail from a lady who was baptized at our Super Summer Baptism Celebration. She wrote:
“I was living a life of major sin, basically sleepwalking through life. I was never fully awake spiritually. I never realized I needed Christ. But I began seeking Him for the sake of my children. One night, I started searching for the Truth. I prayed to God. I asked Him to lead me to the right path. I begged God to show me a clear sign that I could understand. That night, I received clear dreams! I had goosebumps! The Lord heard me!
In the past, I didn’t understand the love Christians had for Jesus. But I totally get it now! I fell in love with Christ the more I learned. I know now, with certainty, that Jesus knows me and that He loved me all along. He is my Savior again and again! Woodlands Church has been such a blessing to our family. My husband and I declared our love before the Lord at Super Summer Baptism this year. Thank you, Pastor Kerry, and your entire team! God is good!”
If you, too, are tired of drawing water from a well that never satisfies and ready to receive the gift God has for you, join us this weekend for a celebration of life change at our Super Summer Baptism 2 event at a Woodlands Church campus near you, and experience the refreshing joy of the Living Water! Receive His gift to you! It’s the gift of new life in Christ! You can register now! Don’t leave your gift unopened!
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.