Jesus truly sees us...

Today, I feel very much that I am suppose to share from my heart about understanding and love.  I am sharing straight from my heart and it is my prayer that the Lord will speak through these words for a deeper understanding of each other and lots of compassion.

I've prayed about the scripture passage that I should use with this and felt lead to the story of the woman at the well.  The woman that all of us think we know, but do we really?  The woman that suffered alone at noon at the hottest time of day to fetch her water because of other women that whispered, other women that shunned, other women that thought they knew her story.  The woman who went with her mess to the well and left with her message about the amazing love of Jesus.  

Do we really know the story of the woman at the well?  The woman that we are told in John 4 had 5 husbands and she wasn't currently living with a man that wasn't her husband.  Jesus knew her and He knew her story and He knew He had an appointment with her at the well.  He knew that she mattered and He had to share His amazing love with her.

Do you know how the woman had 5 husbands?  Do we know anything other than just the fact she had 5?  No, we don't know her story, but Jesus did!  

I also go to the well with my story and my sins.  At times I go at noon just like this woman, because truthfully I just can't deal with other's thoughts or words.  We think we know their story, but do we really?  We only know what people allow us to know and this is never the whole story.

I want to share with you that on social issues I am a very conservative person.  Being a conservative person doesn't mean that I don't have compassion and love for others and often times I feel very judged because of my stance on issues.  I love the people not the sin.  Whether it is my sin or someone else's sin it's the pain that the sin brings to all of our life I hate!  A sin that makes each of us walk to the well alone rather than enduring the pain of hearing the snickers or to see the fingers pointing.

  I have come to this stance after serving with women and young girls that are totally broken from making the decision to have an abortion.  I have witnessed the tears of a woman that suffered still after 30 years because of this choice.  It's not that I don't love this person, I hate the pain she is suffering still of a choice made long ago.  The pain that keeps her from being able to sit in a church because of the judgment she feels directed at her and the terrible loneliness that only Jesus is able to heal.

I hate the pain of a young lonely girl that wants to feel loved by someone, so she turns to anyone for just a touch.  A touch that brings more pain and still the big hole is in her heart and the hole only grows bigger because this touch only brought more pain.

I hate the pain of the young expectant girl that must give up her baby to provide a better life that the baby deserves.  The hole that is made by others thinking they know the whole story and yet they have no clue.

I hate the pain of the young girl that so desperately wants anyone to see her that she will say or do anything to make sure that she is seen.  The shock at the things that  she says in Bible study to make sure that we all know her pain.  The prayer that we will be able to provide just a glimmer of light so that she will seek Jesus.  

Yes, I've held these young woman and older women in my prayers and in my arms.  Hoping beyond hope that Jesus will use me in some way to help them and at the same time to heal my own hurts.  God's ways are definitely not our way.

When I knew God was calling me to help other women, I never dreamed He would take me right into the arms of young women that had something I so desperately had desired in my own life ~ a baby.  He did and wow did He teach me in the process that I had a lot to learn.  I had a lot of judgment to get rid of on my walk to the well!  I did not know the whole story and neither do you...only Jesus truly sees us!

I am sharing all of this with you today, because sometimes we think we know a lot and we don't know anything at all!  Recently, I had someone make a judgment on me due to my conservative stance on the issues of the world.  Yes, I stand with God's Word, but that doesn't mean that I don't cry real tears for people that are hurting and that I don't throw myself right into situations and try to help.  I was presented with a question that had absolutely nothing to do with the discussion we were having...a question that truthfully meant a judgment on this person's thoughts about me.  I did not respond and I left hurt and broken.  

I am just as guilty as the person that ask the question and hurt me.  I've hurt others with my own judgments, but God healed me.  He took me to places that I didn't really want to go, but in order for me to be healed I had to go.  It is my prayer that just like the woman at the well and myself that you to will leave your water jug at the well and you will run right into the middle of town sharing the healing that only Jesus is able to provide.  It is my prayer that each of us will understand that we may not love the sin, but we still love the person!  

I am able to be this honest with you because I know I am a sinner and only because of Jesus am I healed!  I am not so bold that I don't realize my sin is just as big as the next person's  - it is because of this that I know Jesus loves all of us, but He does not love the sin!  I hate the pain of sin and the heart break and brokenness that sin brings.  Jesus brings the love in the heat of the moment to the well for all of us!  Jesus sees us and He loves us!

Sweet blessings,

Debbie