Through the Eyes of the Flesh

 Through the Eyes of the Flesh

The “Red-Letter Words” of Jesus

Day 43

The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

The Samaritan woman tried to understand Jesus’ spiritual truths through the eyes the of her flesh and current situation. Sir, I’m all in. Give me this water so I won’t ever thirst and won’t have to perform this tedious task anymore. Bring it on.

Don’t be too harsh on the Samaritan woman because if you’re judging her worldly response, you’re judging me too. Even though I’m a Christian and Jesus’ Spirit lives within me, there are times I forget it’s not about the flesh. When I do forget, I’m off on one of my tangents seeking things that don’t satisfy.

Let me get real with you. While working on this devotion I became sidetracked by Facebook. I posted something on a denominational page and wondered if anyone had responded to it. Right in the middle of a sentence in the second paragraph, I logged onto Facebook to see folks’ reaction to what I posted. Sadly, I was looking for a feel-good moment to validate myself apart from Jesus. (Smack dab in the middle of me trying to be spiritual no less.)

Since I’m being vulnerable why not continue. (Gulp.) I’ve been stuffing my face more than I’ve been feeding my soul. There, I said it. A few years ago, I lost forty pounds but over the past couple of years I’ve packed quite a bit of it back on. Why? Because I want instant, endorphin-filled (think dark chocolates) gratification. It never lasts and I find myself back in the kitchen again. (I know the issue isn’t “what I’m eating but what’s eating me.” That’s an issue for another time.)

It’s easy to judge the Samaritan woman for her fleshly response, and yet, here I am as a Christian seeking carnal things knowing they won’t satisfy me.

In the next devotion, we’ll look at the fountain of water which can satisfy the dryest of souls; the Samaritan woman’s and mine.

Father, forgive me where I’ve looked elsewhere for satisfaction and validation. Forgive me for investing my time in stuff that will never quench my thirst. Please satisfy the hungering and thirsting in my soul with Your living water. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

His Grace Is More Than Enough

I'm going to change directions for a few days and focus on something else that is important to me. Living a healthy lifestyle. I posted three articles on my Facebook and now I want to share them here. This 3rd article was written on 7/26/23.

His Grace Is More Than Enough

I've written a couple posts about my struggles with unhealthy eating. I hope you don't mind one more. My prayer is that God will use these posts to encourage someone else struggling with addictive issues in their lives. (Not to mention, it helps hold me accountable.) May God be glorified...

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distress for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NKJ)

Unhealthy foods are my kryptonite. Let’s face it, many of us have our own areas of struggle, some listed in the above verses. Paul called them "a thorn in the flesh." (See 2 Corinthians 12:7-8.) He begged God several times to remove the thorn. God’s response was, “My grace is sufficient for you.”

I’ve begged God to remove my craving for unhealthy foods. He hasn’t. He pretty much told me the same thing He told Paul. God wanted Paul and He wants me to be dependent on Him. Like Paul, I can't boast in my own accomplishments because, without Him, I'm a hot mess.

Without the power of Christ in my life, I’d be living with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, probably taking a plethora of meds. I was facing those physical issues two and half years ago when I decided to change to a healthier lifestyle.

Three months ago, I lost focus that it was Christ in me who helped me make healthy food choices. I bragged in my accomplishments forgetting it was Christ’s strength which gave me the power to withstand the lure of unhealthy foods. I became prideful and was determined to do it my way in my own strength. And God let me do it my way for a while.

The reality is when I am weak, I become strong only through Him. Thankfully, His grace is more than enough. Yesterday was another good day. As I focus on Jesus and the Truth of His Word for my specific situation, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 3:14).