Who Told the Story of the Woman at the Well?

Who Told the Story of the Woman at the Well ?

by Terry Fenwick

I loved the Woman at the Well today - I have always loved the story and it was the Bible story God used to call me to being a Teaching Director for a Study. I was not wanting to take the Teaching Director job as I loved being Associate.  It was always wonderful to be a Associate TD and not have to teach every week. The class welcomed me with open arms as a Associate TD Director and then the TD quit!   I was going to fill the role with someone in the class, then leave the class to give the new TD a chance to take over.  I had many other jobs as Area Director and planning retreats and it was going to be fine.  I was actually looking forward to plugging into another class and letting the new Teaching Director really be in charge. I was ready for a break. 

The Servant's Team, who shared with the TD in decision making all said, "Of course, you will take it" and so did everyone who knew about the opening.   Tom said I would HAVE to take it;   I said I never took anything where God had not called me.  Then, about that time,  we were at John 4 . . . The Woman at the Well. 

I was working on the lecture and came to the part where the Woman at the Well went running back to her town to tell the people, "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" Of course, Jesus had not told the woman everything, just the things she had to deal with right away - mostly the lie about the 5 husbands and the other man she was just living with.   But the woman was so excited about having met Jesus, she got the townsmen so excited, with the word of her testimony,  that many went running to see this man at the well.   

The scripture clearly says, 4:39 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42* They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world. 

Well, when I was doing the study that night, it was a Saturday night - late. Tom was asleep, our home was very quiet,   When I came to this part,  4:39 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, I was swooning. 

I said, looking up, "How wonderful, Lord, and they are still coming to YOU because of the word of her testimony.   Isn't that wonderful?  And 2,000 years later they are still coming to you,  the WORD,  because of the word of her testimony.  O, Lord that is what I want!  If you should tarry another 2000 years, I want what I do to be bringing people to YOU because of my testimony." 

And then the silence fell - the noise only GOD makes in silence.  

He did not have to say a thing. I said it for him. "Lord, you want me to take this class, don't you?"   Sigh . . . and then I said,  "I will!"   I ran to wake Tom and said, "I am taking the class, the Lord just called me to it!" And Tom said, with eyes barely open, "I knew you would now come go to bed."   I made him hear the whole story but he still said, "Yes, I knew you would."  That was my class for sure.  No one could have had that class. I would have taken anyone to the mat if they tried to get that class.  I taught it for 10 years and did all the other things I needed to do,  at the same time. 

With God All things are possible.  

But then today, in the Homily, it hit me . . . this was the best part. The disciples were not with Jesus, when all this happened. They were out buying food and he was alone with the woman at the well.  Jesus was alone!  He had to tell them about this woman. How else could the story ever be known or later written.  The story had to come from his lips.  

See how God is in things?  He is center stage!  Jesus would have had to tell them the whole story so John could write it later - he may have sat down with all of them when he got back to Galilee - and told them the whole thing. Do you realize they might have reported in every night or so and shared what was happening?

Do you love this part of the story? 

So here is the question and here is the lesson. "What would jesus be telling about you or me today?  If he had met with us,  as he met with the Woman at the well, what would he say? If He was just with you alone, or just with me, alone, what would he say?"


He might say, "Hey, you know that Terry girl? She got it, she is beginning to realize that I am in all things. She is finally beginning to realize that Father danced when He made Adam because he was so excited and that even foreknowledge does not keep him from ENJOYING THE MOMENT OF THE HAPPENING. That Terry girl is realizing that anticipation only builds to the moment - and it is all wonderful - when Father is in it.  She s getting better at this!  

And, of course, they (the Angels and the Saints) are all cheering and laughing because they know that Father is in everything. Yes, he has a throne but He is in everything and He is every place we are.  It is not a relationship where you "kinda know" a person - it is so much bigger than "kinda knowing" Him. It is like being inside Him.  You are "in the story"!  You are "history"- we are His Story. 

FOOD of which we all have need of . . . and the Living Water . . . welling up to eternal Life! 

I am still amazed, will always be amazed,  to remember that He was alone with this woman, the disciples were at the market - and no one would have known all of this had Jesus not told the story.  He tells stories about us yet today!


What does he say about YOU and what does he say about ME?