On Sunday I heard a beautiful sermon about the woman at the well and her encounter with the living God. I will turn 51 before I leave Maggie’s Place. I’ve spent this year of service also praying for my future husband. Unlike the woman at the well, I’ve never been married, but I can relate to her. One of the moms went to church with me on Sunday. I can relate to her story even more, but what a victory! God spoke to her heart through that sermon and I believe He is changing her life.
Sometimes we get so busy trying to find all the things we think we’re missing, trying to jump ahead and help God out. Sometimes we get tired of waiting when we feel like He isn’t answering our prayers in a timely manner and we make hasty decisions. It’s funny how we tend to forget some really simple truths of the Bible. In Luke we’re told not to worry about anything; seek the kingdom of God above all and everything else will be added. In Philippians we’re told to have no anxiety at all. In 1 Peter we’re told to cast our cares on the Lord. So why do we still worry and strive to accomplish everything on our own? We want to be in control, but God knows our needs and He will provide in His perfect timing.
The woman at the well was seeking love and acceptance. She had been married 5 times and was now just living with a man. Jesus recognized her true need. He sees through our worst sins and still loves us! Jesus told her if she knew who He was, she would ask Him for the living water that would transform her life.
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10
MissionCorps members at Maggie’s Place live in community, and I have a unique opportunity to share the love of Jesus here. Through my daily encounters with the moms, babies, other Corps members, staff, donors and volunteers, I have a plethora of opportunities to share the love, acceptance and provision of Jesus Christ with others. It’s kind of my “job” to live out the Gospel here. But what about when my year here is over?
The truth is, whether or not I’m at Maggie’s Place, as a Christian I am called to share this same love with everyone I meet. I’m called to share the “living water” of the love of God. Everyone thirsts for love and acceptance. Until we fix our eyes on Jesus, we will just keep trying to fulfill our own desires.
I believe the Lord led me to Maggie’s Place. I was called to give love and to receive love and this past year has been a glorious experience in both. But my mission field is more than Maggie’s Place. It’s our own families, our work places, our kid’s schools, our neighborhoods, grocery stores, the I-10! Wherever we encounter people, we can show love and kindness. We can be the “living water” of Jesus to our families, an angry cashier, a flustered waitress, a driver who failed to use their turn signal. We can choose to not be offended and instead show mercy. We can pray for them to have an encounter with the living God because He is the one who can truly meet their need…and He does it through us!
Use us Lord for Your glory. God is love and #loverocks!
For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk (2 John 1:6).
I dedicate this blog post to two very special people celebrating their birthday’s this month: my mom, Becky Crumm (October 12) and my son, Cody Jennings (October 17). Happy Birthday! I love and miss you both.
By Jackie Jennings, a MissionCorps member
