Listening to the radio, I heard a story that left me both filled with hope and despair for East Africa. A pastor was being interviewed next to fields and fields of maize. This incredible growth amid terrible drought was made possible by the work of various charities providing irrigation to one of the affected regions. Hope welled within me. Not only was the drought something that could be beaten in Africa, but it seemed that change was underway. With enough effort we could not only make famine a thing of the past, but help Africa become the breadbasket of the world. As you can imagine, my ambitions for God, fairly lofty to begin with, rose to new heights.
Then the pastor explained that this was a very limited effort. Already £1 billion had been lost to corruption. As the pastor reported, “For some, famine is big business”.
I ended the interview in despair and had I not been driving would have fallen to my knees to pray. For many in authority in Africa, what they lack is not irrigation, but Jesus’ water of life. The everlasting wellspring of God’s spirit that would open their eyes to the suffering. Only in God do we have the power to turn from the teachings of the world and turn to compassion.
Jesus showed us the true path in today’s story. For him, in the baking sun, thirsty and exhausted, God’s work still came first. What is particularly powerful for me, is that throughout the encounter, Jesus never received the water he had asked for. In many ways, He never needed it.
Pray for all the lost souls in Africa, that they can experience the everlasting joy and freedom that God has prepared for them. That their spirits can be refreshed from the eternal spring. That the power of corruption is broken in Africa and communities can be re-forged in hope.
PrayerDear Lord, you have never despised the prodigal sons that return to their father.
You hate evil, but not the person trapped in it.
You are the giver of peace in war.
You are the giver of light in darkness.
You can transform the worst sinner into a true child of God.
We beg you, transform Africa, Lord.
Soften their hearts to Your gospel.
Soften their hearts to Your Spirit.
Break through the barriers and transform those in government.
Transform those in power.
Transform the bureaucrats taking bribes at every level, Lord.
Pour Your spirit over the region of East Africa and help aid get where it is most needed, Lord.
Bring unity to Africa to conquer the famine.
Bring forgiveness to all and a new future in Africa, Lord.
In Jesus’ name we ask this
Amen
Bible Passage: John 4: 4-15
4 Now he had to go through Samaria.
5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[a])
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”