READ: JOHN 4:1-30, 39-42; 17:3

Did you know the first time Jesus revealed Himself as the Messiah was to a woman? Jewish Rabbis weren’t even supposed to speak to women, and especially not to Samaritans like the woman at the well (John 4). On top of that, Jesus knew all about her disreputable lifestyle, but He offered her everlasting life. Jesus knows us inside and out, and His love for us is undaunted!

A different part of this story caught my attention recently, though. The woman at the well spread the word to the people of her village, but verse 42 says that they believed because they heard Jesus for themselves—not just because of her testimony. Her story drew them in, but it was meeting Jesus, knowing Jesus, that led them to believe.

It’s the same for us. I grew up in church, so I heard stories of how God was moving all the timein other people’s lives. As I’ve grown and matured, though, I’ve often prayed, “God, if You are real, make Yourself real to me.” It isn’t enough to know about God. For our faith to blossom and flourish, we have to experience God in our own lives. We have to know Jesus for ourselves.

And most incredible of all, Jesus wants us to know Him. Isn’t that amazing? I know the Son of God, because He wants to know me! He isn’t like a celebrity shielding Himself from the paparazzi—if we seek Him, He will reveal Himself to us (Jeremiah 29:13). And the more we seek to follow Jesus, the more we will notice Him at work in our daily lives.

If you want to know Jesus better, He’s given us several ways to do so. First, dig deep into His Word—in church, by yourself, and with other believers. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) tell the story of Jesus’s life on earth, but every book of the Bible points to Jesus, including the Old Testament. Second, pray. Talk to Him. Ask Him to show Himself to you. Finally, connect with other believers. Listen to the stories of how they’ve seen God work in their lives. Then, keep your eyes wide open to see how He is working in your life! • Hannah Ruth Johnson

• What testimonies have you heard about God’s work in other people’s lives that have strengthened your belief or made you want to know Him better? (Psalm 9:10; Acts 17:27)

• How have you experienced God in your own life? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.” John 4:42 (NLT)