We Must 'Know' Jesus

    Jesus had to go back to Galilee from Judea and decided to take a
short cut through the region of Samaria.  As he neared the city of
Sychar, he was tired and decided to stop at Jacob's well.  His
disciples went on into town to buy some food while Jesus stayed by the
well.  As He rested He struck up a conversation with a local woman who
had come to draw some water.

    In talking with the woman, he revealed things about her life that
he couldn't have known.  He then proceeded to teach her about the
kingdom of God.  Convinced that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, she
rushed into town to tell everyone that she knew about this stranger. 
The townspeople rushed out to hear for themselves what Jesus had to
say.  They too then became convinced that Jesus was the long-awaited
Christ and so they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of
what you said, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this is
indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."

    Our lives are often much the same way.  All around us we hear
about Jesus but we really don't know Him for ourselves.  The
unfortunate thing is that many times we really don't care.  We don't
consider the news of the Christ as something worth enough to go and
see for ourselves.  We seem to feel that church membership or being
born to Christian parents is enough.

    You have probably heard the expression 'to know Jesus as our
"personal Lord and Savior".  In fact we have heard it so often that it
ends up as just another clique.  The reality though is that if we
would find eternal life, we must come to know Jesus personally.

    My own faith happened much the same way.  Baptized at 8 years old,
I was 27 before I was able to get right with Him.  All my life I have
heard about Jesus but He didn't become real to me  until I came
seeking Him for myself.

    It was then that I could say with the citizens of Sychar, "I have
heard for myself and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior
of the world."  This offer is available for you too.  Simply look for
Him while He may be found and He will give you eternal life also.

Frank Cooke