Apologetics

“GIVE ME…”

A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) John 4:7-9 (English Standard Version).

The divine encounter that the Samaritan woman had with Jesus began with a conversation. Jesus was on a journey from Judea to Galilee, and He needed to pass through the city of Samaria. Having trekked for miles through the desert under the scorching sun, Jesus became weary and hungry. While His disciples went to buy Him food from town, He sat by the well of Jacob to catch some rest, and it was at this point the Samaritan woman showed up to fetch water from the well. Jesus started a conversation with the Samaritan woman, the conversation that would eventually bring about a great change and total turn-around to her destiny.

Before we proceed, the first important thing I want you to note is that the conversation that Jesus had with the Samaritan woman began with a request: Jesus said “Give me a drink”. Of course, the Lord Jesus had a plan; He knew the great things He wanted to do in the life of this woman. In fact, being God in man, the Lord Jesus knew that the Samaritan woman’s life was full of crises, troubles and pains; He knew her life was battered and broken; the Lord knew how she had gone through five failed marriages and had suffered serious humiliations and shame in the hands of several men; the Lord also knew how empty her life was, and how she was in serious search of solutions and answers to the pressing questions in her mind. Notwithstanding, Jesus began by a demand “Give me…”.

It is noteworthy that anytime God wants to do something great and amazing in the life of anyone, the first thing He usually says to them is “Give me…”. Yes, God usually comes first with a demand. Of course, God knows all the great and mighty things He has lined up, and wants to accomplish in the life of the individual, but His way and style appears to be to first come with a request, a demand “Give me”. Unfortunately, this statement “Give me” is what most people never want to hear these days under any guise. It is even sadder in this age of internet and social media, where many “emergency Bible Scholars” and self-appointed teachers have demonized any message or anything that looks like “Give...”. But the truth is, no one can change or pervert the principles the Almighty God has laid.

The Bible is filled with scores of examples and instances where God placed requests and demands upon people because He wanted to do something great in their lives: For instance, God had a plan of global and everlasting blessings for Abraham and his descendants, but He began by saying to him “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2 ESV); God wanted to sustain the poor widow of Zarephath with abundance throughout the years of famine, but He moved Prophet Elijah to place a demand for the poor widow’s last meal: And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son” (1Kings 17:13 ESV). Now, this principle was reinforced by Jesus, He wanted to bring great change and turn-around to the life of the Samaritan woman, He says to her “Give me a drink”. Listen, if you continue to close your ears and mind against that word “Give me”, you are bound to miss out of the greatness that the Almighty God has for you.

Have you thought about the fact that Jesus didn’t really need the water He was asking the Samaritan woman to give Him? Sitting there quietly at the well, was the Son of the Living God, Immanuel “God with us”, Messiah, the express image of the Almighty God, the One in Whom all the fullness of God dwells, the One Who owns the heavens and the earth and all their contents. Yet He says to a mortal “Give me…” God is never in need! The Maker and Owner of the heavens and earth and all its contents can never experience lack of anything, and this truth must be clearly understood and settled in the heart of everyone. Psalm 50:10-12; says: “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine”. (English Standard Version).

When God makes a request or places a demand on you in one way or the other, you should realize it’s for your own good, it’s most likely because He wants to do something great and amazing in your life. Those who are wise will always discern that the blessings and breakthroughs that the Almighty God sends usually come dressed like demands and requests. It may be a demand on your comfort, time, money, resources, intellect, talents, gifting, skills, convenience, ambitions etc. To shut your mind to God’s quiet request and demands upon your life and resources is to shut yourself out of God’s purpose and eternal plans.   

It is so shameful that many people profess to know the Lord but have never responded to His gentle requests and demands for their service and commitment. A lot of believers in Church see so many apparent needs in the house of God, yet they have willfully closed their ears to God’s silent demand and requests of “give me your time”, “give me your skills”, “give me your money”, “give me your resources”, “give me your attention”, “give me...”  It has been said that a lot of people miss opportunity in life because it comes dressed in overall and looks like work! This also appears to be true for God’s blessings and divine breakthroughs; many people miss God’s blessings and divine breakthroughs because they come dressed as demands and sacrifice. If you have not learned the act and art of giving, you can never find your place in the purpose of God. 

Does God still say “give me” today? Yes, He does! God has never ceased to ask people to give Him. In fact, the first thing that God is asking you to give Him is your heart. When you have given your heart to God through Jesus Christ, every other thing you give Him becomes acceptable to Him. Remember, God gave you life and everything you have, why will you deny Him when He turns to you and says “Give Me…”? Giving is the beginning of your breakthroughs, the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s purpose and plans for your life. “Give me…” 

Ezekiel Olukolajo

(C) June 2024

Contact: [email protected]