I’ve been noting in the gospels that Jesus didn’t wander haphazardly through the countryside. His routes were carefully selected and his journeys through Samaria were particular interesting.
In Luke 17 we read that He traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. It was along that route that He knew He would meet ten lepers needing healing. There was no shortage of lepers in the area but it was these particular ten, nine ungrateful and one extremely grateful who were to be recipients of His grace.
In John 4 we are told that Jesus had to go through Samaria. Why did they have to go that way? The story goes on to show that the well at Sychar was where there would be a heaven-planned meeting. No shortage of wells, even in Samaria but the encounter had to be at that particular one.
In Luke 9 Jesus and the disciples were not welcome and James and John were incensed enough to request Jesus to call down fire from heaven. The Master’s answer was to rebuke them.
I wonder who I will meet in my destined Samaria today, whether at the supermarket checkout, the hospital wards or in the dreary office? May I be open to God’s guiding and may the encounters be God-filled.