John 4:16-26

“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.’” vss. 21-22

Jesus was a Jew, and he was proud of it. He loved the history, the rituals and practices, and the traditions. His faith had given him a cherished identity, and while he had issues with the religious leaders, he worshiped as a Jew until the end of his life. It was what he knew, and it gave him great joy to proclaim the good news of God’s coming kingdom.

But Jesus also knew that God was bigger than either the Jews or the Samaritans had ever imagined, and that one day all people would be united in their worship of the one God. This is a great truth that the followers of Jesus are still trying to figure out. We have such a time with a God who is bigger than the narrow descriptions of the religious tradition we have grown up in. It’s okay to study the scriptures within the confines of our congregation or denomination. It’s a great way to learn the teachings of Jesus and the gospel message of forgiveness and hope. 

But sooner or later we will discover the God we have come to know is too small, and we will begin to reimagine God in new and exciting ways. That’s where the Spirit takes over, and sooner or later we will be changed.

Thought for the Day: How has my image of God changed?