Jesus Rested

Jesus rested at the well in Samaria. Do you think He only sat down at the well to rest? Do you think it was an accident that He was sitting alone at the well in Sychar? Do you think He only sat down at the well to rest?

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 2(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) 3He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4And he must needs go through Samaria. 5Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
(John 4:1-6, King James Version)

Jesus and His disciples left Judea to go to Galilee, and we are told that they needed to go through Samaria. On the surface that sounds very plausible, but it was actually very unusual. The Jews so despised the people of Samaria, that they would go out of their way to walk around Samaria, rather than to pass through the country.

Jesus not only went right through Samaria, but when he was weary from his journey, Jesus rested at the well in Samaria (Sychar) while the disciples went for food.

Do you think it was an accident that Jesus went through Samaria? Do you think it was an accident that He was sitting alone at the well in Sychar? Do you think he only sat down at the well to rest?

It is true that Jesus was tired. After all, He was walking in a human body and was therefore subject to weariness just as anyone would be. What I find really interesting here, is that Jesus never stopped His service for God just because He was tired. As a matter of fact, one of the most interesting discourses in the Bible is about to take place between Jesus and a woman who just happens by.

Think about that. Are we so engrossed in our ministry for the Lord that it pervades everything we do? Do we think and pray about the Lord when we take a walk, when we are sitting at our desk at work, when we are standing on an assembly line pushing the product on by, or even when we are resting?

I know that Jesus was not just a man, but the God Man. He was perfect in every way, and part of that perfection was revealed in a life focused on His duty before God. Nothing He did was ever far removed from the purpose He had in coming to this earth.

We, however, often struggle with our relationship to the Lord and our service for Him. We are so prone to getting caught up in the things of this world, and in our daily lives, that our focus changes from serving the Lord to being caught up in the daily distractions of life.

It is hard for us to focus on our one true purpose for being here. Our chief end or purpose, above all others, is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. (Taken from the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 1) Wow! Can that be true?

We are here to serve God--nothing else is more important. Oh yes, we need to be faithful in our duties in this life, and in the responsibilities that God has given to us, but everything we do should be within the boundaries or focus of our service to the Lord.

I am not saying that we should not enjoy life, or have fun. But even our entertainment should be centered around, or kept within the bounds of, God's commandments.

Can we do this on our own? Absolutely not! We must go to Christ! He alone, can give us the grace to serve Him faithfully.