St. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 1:18 “The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” The ultimate self-revelation of God is in his hiddenness. Contrary to what most of the world seeks and desires, God is found in the overlooked, the marginalized and underprivileged. God is found amid the left out, cast out and the lonely. God is found among those who suffer and struggle – those whom Jesus himself calls the “least of these.”

The journey out of self destruction into God’s deliverance is not an easy one. Transformation can be difficult, messy, even painful. Often, we need to overturn the false idols in the temples of our hearts to make room for true worship and the new beginnings we seek through God’s grace and mercy.

In the book of Exodus God saw and heard the cries of his enslaved people in Egypt and acted in mercy and power to set his people free so that they could live in a land of promise and be a people of promise. God sees and hears those who cry out, “We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves.” He sent us a deliverer, his very own Son, Jesus, who came to set us free. In the book of Exodus and the Gospel story of Jesus, our freedom came at great cost; the sacrifice and shedding of blood of a lamb (Exodus) and the sacrifice and shedding of blood of the Lamb of God (Jesus). Jesus did all of this to free you and me. Surely we ought to thank, praise serve and obey him. This is most certainly true.

God’s light shines in the darkness of our minds and lives and the darkness has not overcome it. Jesus’ life is light in our darkness. Faith in Jesus isn’t a blind leap. It is a reasonable step based on good evidence. Faith is a journey that can help us to recognize THE TRUTH. It is the daily testing and wrestling with THE TRUTH about life, ourselves, others, and God.

Jesus was sent from God to us to establish a relationship that creates and gives life. In Revelation 3:20-21Jesus says, “Look at me. I stand at the door, I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table; just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!” Open the door of your life to a relationship with Jesus. CHOOSE LIFE, now and forever.

Jesus receives the Samaritan woman with so much love and grace, she is actually transformed. She experiences God’s love. She gets a taste of living water. The interaction between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well is transformative... Expecting rejection, the woman receives love and understanding. Expecting judgment, she receives good news. Expecting to be treated harshly, the woman finds joy.

Ever since the fall of humanity, we have been defined by our conflict with God, conflict with other humans, conflict with creation and conflict within our own selves. Now, through Christ’s reconciliation, God has come to offer us His peace that passes the world’s understanding.