Today I wanted to pass on this beautiful prayer that my wife shared with me.  She read it in a devotional book by Molly Sabourin entitled Close to Home which I highly recommend.  It is the prayer of Metropolitan Philaret of the Orthodox Church.  Please read it carefully, meditate on its content, and make it the cry of your heart.

My Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee.  Thou and Thou alone knowest my needs.  Thou lovest me more than I am able to love Thee.  O Father, grant unto me, Thy servant, all which I cannot ask.  For a cross I dare not ask, nor for consolation; I dare only to stand in Thy presence.  My heart is open to Thee.  Thou seest my needs of which I myself am unaware.  Behold and lift me up!  In Thy presence I stand, awed and silenced by Thy will and Thy judgments, into which my mind cannot penetrate.  To Thee I offer myself as a sacrifice.  No other desire is mine but to fulfill Thy will.  Teach me how to pray.  Do Thyself pray within me.  Amen.

Carolyn Williams

I have been writing since I was a little girl.  Over my lifetime I’ve been married, given birth to three beautiful children, and divorced from a nineteen year marriage. Through all the drama and heartache, writing has helped me stay sane.  The devil has tried to ruin my life in so many ways, but I have overcome it all. God has blessed me so much and inspired me to inspire others through my gift he has blessed me with. I’m happy that I am standing strong to tell how God has taught me many lessons through my writing. I hope my writing will inspire you to stay strong, and keep pressing on for Him

Well this is a story I did not want to tell of how I use to be a Samaritan Woman. In my obedience to God I am going to share my experience God revealed to me, when I was a woman at the well.

I was baptized as a teenager and believed in Jesus Christ. So how could my life be like a woman at the well? Then the Lord took me back to the devastating time almost six years ago, when I caught my husband in the bed with another woman. Asking God how could this happen to me after all we had been through? Then the pain turn to anger I was going to beat him at his own game. Who was he to play me someone who is capable of writing the rule book? Then I tried to justify my sins because of my husband’s infidelity and then his abandonment. So I begin looking for love in all the wrong places.

God revealed to me this is how I was like the woman at the well, one man left or did not work out just find another to fill his shoes. I thought I was better than the woman at the well because I was not fooling with anyone’s husband or living with a man. My husband had broken the marriage covenant and defiled our bed. The Holy Spirit reminded me but my actions were sinful too. How I was going to the well thirsty for love because the one I love left and left a void in my life. Father how could he use your words to sustain me, but the same words did not sustain him?

God all along you was trying to talk to me but I was so angry and I did not care to listen. I was angry with him for betraying me, myself for investing twenty years of my life for nothing, and you God for not allowing it to stay together. I heard about the living water but how do I get it? But Jesus was still faithful on my way to the well (the club) and reminded me the love I find at this well was superficial.  Because the water (love) I received from this well is only temporal and how I would come to draw water day after day leaving with an empty bucket (my soul).

My child may I have a drink of water you seek form this well, and can you trust me to fill the void? I said, “Jesus you seen how they hurt me your obedient child and what extent I went through to hold it together for so long. Jesus replied, “My child you can’t see the goodness of the hand of God because of your pain. So come back to the living water in spite of your temporal circumstances.” Jesus my pain is so deep how can I go on from here.

I know the sacrifices that need to make to receive the living water. In my pain Lord it over took my mind I did not have enough strength to pull myself out of the pit. My child all of your life you been going to all types of well even in your marriage your mate did not quench your thirst. He only saturated your lips with a temporary liquid but still left your soul thirsty. These wells in life can not quench your thirst because I am the only living water.

Father I thought I had been seeking your living water. My child you sought it but when you get hurt by man you are angry with me. See my child you can never find this love in humans which the living water provides (a love that surpasses anything you can even imagine) my love flows for eternity. Father I want the water to quench my thirst for eternity that I may never come to draw water at a well again.

Jesus said, “Go tell your husband and return.”

Jesus I have no husband because he has left.

Jesus said to me, “You are right your husband did leave. You tried to justify your sins because of your pain. You got angry at me when I don’t fix things, when you do not consult me at first. But you took on a husband that was not your own by participating in acts reserved for marriage. What you said is quite true.

I said, “Jesus nothing is hidden from you. My mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, etc. have worshipped and displayed their trust in you daily.

Jesus said. “It is time for you to worship me whole heartily not just on the surface but at all times. I seek true worshippers and know the heart of man.

I exclaimed, “Jesus now is the time I truly understand the importance of having your living water”

Jesus declared, “I am the only true and living God and no one should come before me.”

Just then my friends arrived I met at this well to see my crying. But no one asked me what was wrong because this was their well also? Then I left my water jug (everything I had been carrying on the inside) at the well and went back to my home. I begin to tell everyone of how Jesus revealed everything about me and nothing was hidden from him. How he wanted to supply the living water in order for me to never be thirsty again. They were amazed because they were witness of my pain and how I handled it. Many from the neighborhood believed because of my testimony. They told me they no longer believed because of what I said but because they tried Jesus for themselves and received the living water too. So all the relationships I have experienced in my life was the direct result of being like the Samaritan Woman.

One who has been thirsty for love that the living water can only fulfill because Jesus is the ultimate lover. This love is something no human will ever be able to do because Jesus love is unconditional not like man. Also, the living water I received from Jesus caused me to never go to the wells in life and gather water.

I always need to remember when circumstance occur in my life, just know who I am, whose I am, and I am loved by Jesus Christ who laid down his life for me. I learned the woman at the well was thirsty but she didn’t know what she was thirsting for in her life.

We all have wells (addiction, infidelity, depression, self-centered, selfishness, etc.) in our life and we try to fill them without Jesus. I was like her at the well trying to fill a physical need (love) with a physical substance (the clubs). How gracious Jesus is to meet you just where you are in life. He fulfilled my spiritual needs so I would no longer be controlled by my physical needs.

Christina Williams

Christina Williams is a guest author. To be a guest author, please click here.

I have been writing since I was a little girl.  Over my lifetime I’ve been married, given birth to three beautiful children, and divorced from a nineteen year marriage. Through all the drama and heartache, writing has helped me stay sane.  The devil has tried to ruin my life in so many ways, but I have overcome it all. God has blessed me so much and inspired me to inspire others through my gift he has blessed me with. I’m happy that I am standing strong to tell how God has taught me many lessons through my writing. I hope my writing will inspire you to stay strong, and keep pressing on for Him

God knew me before he placed in my mothers’ womb

Designed to meet a specific purpose in the kingdom

 When people try to degrade me throughout my day

Tell them you are a child of God is what Romans 8:16 says

 I am heir to the blessing of Abraham

Been washed by the blood of the Lamb

In 1 John 4:4 says daily overcoming the enemy

As I surrender all to my father upon my knees

I am not moved by what I see

Father because my trust is in thee

In Christ I am a new creature

Partaker of His divine nature

I am above and not beneath

The Holy Spirit after Jesus was bequeath

I am redeemed from the hand of the enemy

Protected by my father most trouble I do not even see

I am being transformed daily by the renewing of my mind

To your revelations God I am no longer blind

I am strong in his power and might

Walking by faith and not by sight

I more than a conqueror everything that I do

Because God has been faithful in bringing me through

I do all things through Christ strengthens me

Daily exercising my authority over the enemy

I am bringing every thought into captivity

Daily an imitation of Jesus is what I want to be

See how much it is fallen, so lost in despair

Some worship gods, objects made at their own hand

While others make pleasure their only demand

Look upon this fallen world and find it torn

Orphaned, murdered, alone, so depraved we kill the unborn

Some see God’s laws written down, meant to prevent this depravity

But in following this stringent code they place themselves in slavery

What hope do you have, O Sinner, in the mess in which you live?

In our fallen mess, could we dream of a God who could forgive?

It does not please God to see His creation groan

He is love, and displays His love in a way never before known

Our God we witness as He reveals He is Holy Trinity

The Father, Son, and Spirit in love from all eternity

A perfect union that cannot be undone

Distinguished in three, but being in one

The Son is God and is eternally begotten by the Father

But is one in being with God and not a wholly other

From the Father proceeds His Holy Spirit

Distinct but fully God, between them there is no split

This Holy and loving God looked upon the world

He saw the destruction into which it was hurled

In the Incarnation, the veil between God and man was torn

The I AM humbled, to a human mother He was born

Under the curse of sin His chose to live, but no sin was in Him

A perfect life He led, knowing His eventual end was so grim

The same One who had once said, “Where are you” to humanity

Now adorned Himself in their flesh, but with no pomp or vanity

He took compassion on His brothers, on His fallen children

He provided substance in a world that was spiritually barren

Ever-present that sin broke the relationship between His Father and men

He sought to create a relationship to be broken never again

He took the flogging of the Roman condemned

All for our rebellion, for Him to mend

But His pain was so much deeper than the cells of His skin

In His spirit is where He felt the brunt of our sin

Look upon the cross and see a divided Trinity

Father forsaking Son whom He had loved for all eternity

But even in this, the Father took pleasure in breaking His Son

As the spilt and forsaken blood of Christ meant our sin was undone

The Father did not leave the Son in the grave

The Spirit came and raised Christ out of the cave

In His victory all sinners took delight

As God spoke into the darkness once again, and there was light

Light for those trapped in despair and pain

Light for the hopeless to tell them their lives aren’t in vain

In His resurrection He opened the path for fellowship with God

A belief no pagan could fathom, a belief that to the Jew is odd

To be guilty before God, to be His enemy, we are the ones

But in Christ’s resurrection we are adopted as sons

Into the slum, the ghetto, and the shanty town

Rise up all ye hopeless, stand up those who are down

To the blind, look upon Christ all day long

To the deaf, listen to His beautiful song

To the lame, run with Him forever, from west to east

To the hungry, sit and rejoice with Him at His feast

To the weary and worn down, in Him find your rest

To the diseased and unwanted, collapse in His chest

For we are adopted by God and have not a bother

For in our troubles we can cry out, “Abba, Father!”

The troubled sea will not calm
Inside this troubled heart
This injury has no healing balm
For a remedy I know not where to start

I want to become bitter against You
To blame You for my mishaps
But you know exactly what to do
For You are the one Who guides my steps

The future looks so dark and cold
But you contain it in Your hand
You shaped it from the days of old
And will bring me to the Promised Land

I am fearful and frightened at the dark clouds
And wonder if I will survive
But before you all storms must bow
And you will bring me through this alive

So bring comfort to this fallen child
Let me turn from this doubt and sin
For even though all hope is killed
In You I find hope again

Beautiful brown eyes

And a smile that lights up your face

Even with tubes in your arms

You’re the princess of this place

You pretend you have flowing black hair

Even though the chemo has taken it all

As you dance in the court yard

It’s obvious you’re having a ball

Your portable monitor

Is your charming prince for the night

You dance away without care

Oblivious to your plight

A hospital gown supplants your royal robes

And this hospital is your castle

Ignoring the girl dancing in the yard

Walking hurriedly amongst the bustle

But there is a dragon in this tale

That is eating away at who you are

And there is no epic prince

To save you and take you to a land afar

This dragon will consume you one day

And all the people will cry for the princess

It will cause loneliness in their hearts

Because it is you they will miss

But in Heaven you will dance to your heart’s content

And smile at all with a smile so pure

Cancer won the battle, but not the war

For in death you found the ultimate cure

Many wars have been fought

Many mothers have cried

Over the haves and the have-nots

Many preachers have ignored

Many politicians have forgot

The chasm, the valley, the gorge

Between the haves and the have-nots

Many ignore a solution

Many have cast their lot

In the ongoing discussion

About the haves and the have-nots

There is One who will restore

The peace we have sought

He will one day end the war

Between the haves and the have-nots

To You we lift our eyes

Before Your holiness we fall

O Father please hear our cries

Though trial and tribulation abound

And great evil we cannot ban

Our worries, You say, are unsound

And we should seek solace in Your plan

We do not know whom evil will select

Or why the innocent must suffer

But You promise to preserve Your elect

You are the Holy buffer

And when we feel tempted to ask why

We merely need to look Heaven bound

And to our Father we can cry

Only in You can comfort be found