Let’s examine a story with implications for all of us today. Our story takes place over a span of 39 verses found in John 4. Although a familiar story, I’m sure we can learn something new and personally apply it to our life. If you have time, please read this story in John for in this passage, Jesus gives us four steps about His immediate will for our lives. Remember, God has a will and desire for your life today. God’s will is immediate; never future.

The first step I see in this passage is that we must look for divine appointments. According to verse 3, Jesus left Judea and Jerusalem in the south and was on His way to “Galilee,” the northern region of Israel.

The country of Samaria geographically divided Israel. Samaritans were half-breed Jews who held a bitter rivalry with the national Jews. The racial prejudice was so strong that most Jews would not even step on Samaritan soil. They crossed the Jordan and went up the east bank.

Note in verse 4 that Jesus says He “must needs go through Samaria.” Unlike the rest of the Jews, He had no prejudice. Even more importantly, Jesus had a divine appointment that He needed to keep.

Jesus and the disciples came to the Samaritan city of Sychar which was the site of a historic well, known as Jacob’s well. There was probably a historical marker there telling of how the patriarch “Jacob” had dug the well centuries before to water his livestock. Interestingly, Jesus took an unusual route to Galilee. Sometimes we must also take an unusual direction to accomplish God’s plan in our lives.