Finding Comfort in God

I recently saw this quote:
"Comfort is the difference between the way things are and the way we expect them to be. Comfort is an illusion. It is neither present nor welcome here."

After I read this several times, I immediately thought of this week's Gospel, The Samaritan woman at the well. I was, and am always in awe by this week's Gospel. The Samaritan woman by the well meeting up with Jesus. I laugh (sarcastically), thinking about how taken aback this woman must have felt after... a.) not knowing what this "living water" stuff meant that Jesus was going on about, or b.)that really she initially "signed on" to this deal thinking that Jesus was promising her comfort that she would never have to drag herself to that well again to draw water. What a relief and comfort that must have been to know that laborious task was coming to an end!

aha! Her initial narrow-mindedness, and laziness was the bait to get her right where Jesus wanted her!
Funny, we all find comfort in what we know as familiar. It is a blessing indeed. It is a blessing to wake up each day, dress, go to work and pretty much figure out how the day will unfold. So, we think. That brings us comfort. It brings us comfort to "think" we have control. Control over the outcomes. Control over our actions, things we want others to do for us, and ultimately control over feelings and beliefs. Predictability we might call it. But Jesus was here to teach the woman at the well more to do about water than she ever really wanted to know! Jesus wasn't there to talk about the quality of the drinking water..(as I related in Children's Chapel this week in a pitcher of Newport's finest tap water vs. Poland Spring bottled water.) And even the comparisons in that story had its benefits...
Even the finest of waters, (Perrier with Lemon), couldn't compare to Jesus' water!
To never thirst again. To never need to go to the well for another bucket full. (Remember it must have been very difficult physically to draw water however many times a day and walk it back to your home. Maybe 5x! as many husbands she had.) So, to be offered a water that was life-eternal, no need to replenish, restock, or think your thirst would be quenched forever by taking it from Jesus had to be bonus itself...regardless of knowing who Jesus was, or what he professed was actually the message!
The woman took comfort in that fact that her day would be lighter in load because of her water promise. She thought it comfortable to not thirst again. "Whatever that meant". And yet, there was always a "discomfort". That lingering feeling that something was not quite right about all of this. She only knew this man to be a Jew. She wonders why he would first ask her, a Samaritan, for a glass of water...let alone accept a lifetime guarantee on never needing it again. It was grossly uncomfortable and certainly suspicious. The comfortable things at first really are never comfortable in the long run. There was a catch here, and Jesus was quick to point it out to her. In receiving His offer for Living water, she then asked that magical question! Why Me? Why a Samaritan? Do we not like one another? (Remember there are no free lunches!) Jesus then inquires about her husband. "Well...there isn't a current husband." Jesus is quick to respond, lovingly, I believe, "Yes, I know that you are not married to the man you reside with, but you have had 5 previous husbands." The woman is clearly shocked and professes that Jesus is obviously a prophet, a psychic of some kind. Who could know my past? I have never met you before today. How lucky for her that Jesus could prove to her that God knows all, holds all, and will see all things transpire that God has called to be. Imagine her amazement in being told by a stranger your life history. Surely, in the most uncomfortable part of humility she found strength in the fact that this man was not judging her, but in fact pushing her to her destiny. Marry the man or leave him, and proclaim the message that the Messiah was here. The Savior of the World. He was here, knew her story, continued to promise the Living Water if there was just Faith in God and belief in Jesus. What a comfort, in a very uncomfortable moment.

We are faced all the time with comfort vs. uncomfortable. Everyday. The things we have chosen over and over again seem comfortable to us. This is because we have chosen them so many times it seems comfortable, like second nature. (The woman marrying 5 times... it was probably comfortable to her). And yet, perhaps, that the comfort zone we so desperately cling too is precisely why we wind up in these situations! I am sure the woman at the well was not comfortable even in her continuous choices to do this. She was uncomfortable admitting to Jesus that she wasn't married to this man; yet she didn't lie. That I think made Jesus glad. (She was probably tired of choosing the same comfortable mistake she thought and decided reluctantly to not marry him.) Jesus knows our hearts and He isn't afraid to talk to us about the feelings that live in there. Without judgement I might add. He isn't afraid to show what can be if we have faith.
The next time we are faced with doing something that just doesn't seem comfortable- or is not what we think we should/or should not do.... Ask this... Do I want to thirst anymore? Or do I want to drink form the Living Water where I thirst no more?

Miss Dawn, Director of Children's Ministries