79. Tuesday after Third Sunday after Epiphany.
Lord, do not relax thy hold on me;
but make me humble and save me. Amen.
John 4, 15-26. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
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The woman said to Jesus: “Sir, give me this water.” This prayer he began to answer by saying to her: “Go, call thy husband.” Knowledge of sin is what she needs. He has spoken to her of the water of eternal life, and has awakened in her a longing after this water; and he has won her confidence, and thus prepared her to hear the penitential sermon which he now preaches to her. For that heart only which truly knows its sin and humbles itself can accept the grace of God. In a few words Jesus shows this woman what her whole life has been; and the picture is so striking that it terrifies her, and she tries to evade it by asking a question concerning the place where men ought to worship. Peter said on one occasion: “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” And David says, in Psalm 39: “O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more.” Such feelings as these now filled the heart of this woman. And her situation becomes no better when she asks whether God is to be worshipped on Mount Gerizim or in Jerusalem; for now the Lord speaks to her in such manner that she cannot avoid hearing him, and he tells her the truth about her heathen blindness and her soulless worship. She, the obscene Samaritan woman of Sychar, the city of liars, to talk about the worship of God, who is a Spirit, the Spirit of truth and holiness, the God of believing Israel! However, these words of the Lord are also an invitation, and they inspire in the poor woman some hope that she may receive light. She knows, — O blessed knowledge of the Bible! — she knows that Messias is to bring salvation to both Jew and gentile; and now, when the Lord says, “I that speak unto thee am he,” she believes on him; and the light of grace from his countenance shines into the night of her sin, with the result that she confesses him, and leads others to believe in him. Certainly, her light is as yet very feeble, but it is true and living; and therefore she becomes a new creature. Did she continue in her former lascivious life, do you think? — Here we learn that the only way to Christ leads through knowledge of sin. Furthermore we learn that Jesus is near when man knows his sin and in all sincerity makes the confession: “It is true; all these things have I done.” Then is salvation at hand.
Lord, give us in our hearts a true and living knowledge of sin. Reveal thyself to us as the Savior of lost sinners; and draw many souls to thee out of the night of sin, that we may walk together in the light before thee. Amen.*
My lips with shame my sins confess
Against thy law, against thy grace:
Lord, should thy judgment grow severe,
I am condemned, but thou art clear.
Yet save a trembling sinner, Lord,
Whose hope, still hovering round thy word
Would light on some sweet promise there,
Some sure support against despair.
[suggested tune: Windham, TLH 612; listen here]
* Here the head of the family says a short morning or evening prayer in his own words, and closes with the Lord’s Prayer and the Benediction. This is to be done every day. If the stanzas are not sung, they may be read in their proper place before the impromptu petition and the Lord’s Prayer.