【双语灵修】布局THE SETUP

约翰福音 4:1-9

主知道法利赛人听见他收门徒、施洗比约翰更多，（其实不是耶稣亲自施洗，乃是他的门徒施洗，）他就离了犹太，又往加利利去。必须经过撒马利亚，于是到了撒马利亚的一座城，名叫叙加，靠近雅各给他儿子约瑟的那块地。在那里有雅各井。耶稣因走路困乏，就坐在井旁。那时约有午正。有一个撒马利亚的妇人来打水。耶稣对她说：“请你给我水喝。”那时门徒进城买食物去了。撒马利亚的妇人对他说：“你既是犹太人，怎么向我一个撒马利亚妇人要水喝呢？”原来犹太人和撒马利亚人没有来往。

11月4日

布局

“有一个撒玛利亚的妇人来打水。” - 约 4:7

这是一个简单但却耐人寻味的场景。

在这个月，我们将会认识一个意想不到会蒙耶稣善待的妇人。《约翰福音》4章7节以叙述这个妇人本来不愿意身处的境况开始。

首先……“午正”应该是炎热的时刻。

我们一家曾在加利福尼亚州北部住了12年，那里属地中海性的气候，每天的早晚气温通常有30度的差别。早上通常清凉，但之后的气温却像烤厢取披萨出来那样炎热，到了黄昏，气温再次下降。居民都会按这个气温模式安排作息。

现在，如果你要背着一个像小孩那样大的水瓶，走一段路来到一个公众水井，装满水之后背回去，你会在什么时候去做？大概不会在午正炎热的时刻吧。

这个细节不单告诉我们当时的时间，更指出这个妇人在村子里怎样看自己。她是在与人保持距离，如果受人欢迎，你应该不会这样做的。

这个撒玛利亚妇人选择了躲避，至低限度，在耶稣找到她之前，她都是这样。最终，她与人的隔阂，却成为一份契机，让她有机会接近救主，被祂寻获，我们以后会再专注思想这点。

你最近有没有遇到不愉快的境况呢？你能否想像，基督怎样会在那个境况中与你会面呢？求祂帮助你吧！祂就在你身旁。

祷告

主啊，求你在我们最意料不到的地方临在，甚至使用困难的境况，来引领我们靠近你，向我们显明你的恩典。阿们。

John 4:1-9

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4

THE SETUP

A Samaritan woman came to draw water. . . . —John 4:7

The scene is simple—and loaded.

This month, we’ll get to know a surprising woman whom Jesus befriended. John 4:7 begins to describe a situation that was not what this woman would have wanted.

To begin with . . . it would have been hot at “about noon.”

For a dozen years my family lived in northern California, which has a Mediterranean climate. There is usually a 30-degree swing in temperature every day. In the morning it is usually cool, but later in the day it will be taking-pizza-from- the-oven hot. Then in the evening it will cool back down. People adapt their schedules to this pattern.

Now, if you were going to haul a water jug the size of a child all the way out to the public well to fill it and haul it back, when would you do that? Probably not at noon.

This isn’t just a detail about the time of day. It speaks to how this woman saw herself in her village. She was keeping her distance. And you don’t do that if people like you.

This Samaritan woman had learned to hide. At least until Jesus found her. In the end, her isolation turned out to be a gift, drawing her close enough to the Savior to be found. We’ll focus more on that later.

Are you facing unpleasant circumstances lately? Can you picture how Christ might be meeting you in that situation? Ask him for help; he is near.

Lord, meet us even in the places where we might least expect you. Use even uncomfortable circumstances to draw us close and to reveal your grace to us. Amen.