I was in college when I met my husband at a Bible study. He was sitting on the floor dressed in scruffy jeans, a red flannel shirt, and a strong face that needed a shave. The moment I saw him, I was smitten. But I didn’t want him to know that.
Steve finally asked me out on a date, and several more followed. One night, Steve said, “Will you go with me to all the rest of the football games for the rest of the year?”
“I’m not going to answer that question,” I cavalierly responded. “You’ll have to ask me each week.”
What I was saying was that I wanted to be pursued. None of this blanket-invitation-for-the-entire-fall business. I wanted to be wooed and won. Even though he had me the moment I saw him sitting on that shag carpet floor. I wanted him to show me that I was worth putting forth the effort to capture my heart.
We all want that, don’t we? To be pursued? And nobody does that better than Jesus. Let’s consider His pursuit of one particular soul.
John 4:4 tells us, “He had to go through Samaria.” That one verse stirs my heart because I know what’s coming next. Jews avoided Samaritans like the plague—literally. They were quarantined people, and the Jews kept their distance. And the Samaritans hated the Jews right back.
So it wasn’t because of geography that Jesus “had to go through Samaria” on His way to Galilee, but because His Father told Him to. Jesus reminded the disciples many times that He only did what His Father told Him to do (John 5:19).
You see, there was a woman in Samaria who had been used and abused all her life. She felt less than every man who had thrown her away, as well as every woman who looked the other way. And now she was about to experience something new: being pursued by pure love.
While most women went to the well to draw water for their daily use in the cool of the morning or late in the evening, this woman went at high noon to avoid being snubbed by the other women in town. When she showed up, Jesus was waiting and asked, “Will you give me a drink? (John 4:7). He was breaking the cultural rules by talking to a woman in public and drinking from a Samaritan’s cup. He was willing to cross the man-made rules to set the God-made woman free.
As Jesus engaged her in conversation, He asked her to go get her husband. When she admitted that she didn’t have one, Jesus revealed the sad truth of her life. She’d had five husbands plus one extra. We don’t know why she had been divorced five times. In those days, a man could divorce his wife if she went outside the home with her hair unbound or spoke to a man in public or just didn’t like her anymore. But whatever the reasons, this was a woman who had been abused, misused, and tossed away by men she had trusted and loved.
Jesus spoke to her of her past without a hint of condemnation or rejection in His voice. As a matter of fact, He applauded her honesty and commenced to have the longest recorded conversation in the New Testament with this broken woman.
Then Jesus did something amazing. For the first time, He told someone that He was the Messiah. “I, the one speaking to you—I am he” (John 4:26).
This woman, pursued by God, dropped her water bucket and ran back to town to tell the very people she had avoided about Jesus. Her story holds great promise for any woman who has ever tried to fill the hole in her heart with relationships but come up empty. It is for every single one of us who has ever felt less than because we were tossed away, or others were chosen, and we were not.
I think God made sure this story was included for every woman who has ever felt less than because of rejection, discrimination, or a sullied reputation. And for you…and for me. God’s pursuit began in the Garden of Eden with the words, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9) and continued with the words “He had to go through Samaria.” Listen closely. They continue even now.
He pursues you still.
Jesus, thank You for pursuing me. I am caught. I am loved. It is forever. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
NEVER LESS THAN: Living Esteemed, Empowered, and Equipped When the World Tells You Otherwise. If you’ve ever felt less than because of your past, your present circumstances, or your gender as a woman then this book is for you! This is a message that your daughters and granddaughters need to hear. Click here to learn more. Click here for a FREE download of 25 Ways Jesus Honored Women.
© 2023 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.
Comments 10
I have feel this way all time . I have been married and divorced and married and divorced now live lone with my dog 🐕 . I really believe in Jesus Christ I have struggled with same Conversation so many times. That I can count,but Jesus is really to me . I had boy 4 years ago loved him very much! He wanted sleep part not wife so I had to let go ! That broke my heart ❤️ so many times. I really thought we going to get married, he new I believe in God . But in 2018 that year December I told him that I wanted us to be married! He heard me there no answer! So few days before Christmas 🎄
I am coming to your house 🏠
He got mad at me said you just wanted to argue argue with me! He said are baking? I no baked already! So why coming to your house 🏠
I wanted to come see you , I told her ! He did not want me to come to his house 🏡
I told him You are a shame of me in 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 of your family! Do you will never see me again! I hug the phone up ! Next morning he called me , I early and never awserd to him it was Christmas Eve I went to look for no well no well no well to put in the house 🏠 for Christmas! I got lost in parking lot and it was very cold outside and I was Freezing then ran in to a lady said told can find the car 🚗
Uses the car remote! I did found them had coffee in from building where the car was that I found nole ! I home on Chrismad Eve and girl friend of mind called said had fight with Dad so said come by to my house 🏠
Christmas Eve! She say a while that went home 🏡
And I had my big dog was with me ! And Jesus Christ is still with me ! Love Jesus Christ Amen 🙏
Absolutely beautiful, heartfelt and oh so timely. Thank you from someone who’s felt invisible her whole life.
I am in tears reading this. Thinking about my daughter who left me during the pandemic and I can’t even see or hear her or my granddaughter and I feel my son is doing the same pattern of leaving me. I don’t know why. Thank you for sharing this “God Is Pursuing You”
And I thank Jesus.
Good day Minister James,
Thank you so kindly for this message of hope, reminder of choices and that God has control of my narrative…if I listen and obey.
Sis KB
I enjoyed this but men need to be encouraged also. Thank you.
This post touched my heart. I can relate to the woman at the well, and I always admired how Jesus stood up for us women in a world that did not seem to like or appreciate us. And I feel His Spirit still does today. I also believe that is why he lovingly referred to His people as the Bride of Christ. Because it is an honor. Thank you.
Thank you Jesus for pursuing me.
Amen. This is such a great reminder of God’s unconditional love for us women who feel rejected. Jesus loves us and accepts us as His God-made women. Thank You Jesus!!
Thank you and so glad Jesus is with us woman and for us. So glad I am found, I am renewed, refreshed, fulfilled and stand firm as a woman of Faith. I intentionally voice this declare.
What a great post! Many times I have felt “less than”. You gave me a new perspective to switch from not fitting in to being completely accepted and loved by Jesus. I have been on the road to this healing for many months. I will mark the verses in John to remind me where my identity truly lies. Thank you for sharing.