The Best Good News Is Knowing The Saviour Of The World
LENT 2025 DEVOTIONAL:
John 4:27-45 (NIV)
(Eric Ang, Chairperson, Finance)
I am encouraged by my assigned Scripture passage to share this story.
In December 2014, about a week to Christmas, I attended the funeral of my friend’s wife. At the funeral, his daughter asked that I keep in touch with her dad who was baptised together with her mum but she wasn’t sure of his salvation. I politely acknowledged but felt inadequate to follow up.
That evening, I was burdened as the question kept popping up “Does he know the Messiah?” The prompting intensified. “Just invite him to the Christmas service.” I texted my friend and he acknowledged. The little faith in me concluded that he wouldn’t come but I had done my part. I was therefore very excited when he accepted my invitation.
I felt very encouraged after the Christmas service and asked God, what’s next? “Invite him to the Watch Night Service”, and my immediate response was, “God, are you kidding! That’s on New Year’s Eve and a service over midnight!” Well, I felt the same burden so I invited him. To my surprise, he came. By then, I knew this wasn’t me but God doing the work. I therefore asked God what was next and the prompt was to invite him to join me for BSF every Monday evening. I obediently sent out the invitation, telling myself that God was testing my obedience. As the saying goes, the rest is history. My friend joined BSF and attended class faithfully.
The story doesn’t end there. We were in the 2nd year of BSF studying the Book of Revelation. During the one-week break in March, my friend made his first visit to his ancestral village in China. One week later, his daughter notified me that he had collapsed and died at the airport whilst waiting for his flight back. It was the most shocking and devastating news.
His daughter brought his ashes back and told me she felt assured of her father’s eternal salvation. For her, there is closure and God even granted him his wish to visit his village.
As I end this story, I can’t help but wonder in amazement how God had reached out to my friend. I am glad my friend chose to spend the last 15 months knowing that Jesus is his Messiah. I am thankful for the opportunity God has provided me to join him in his journey.
What have I learnt from John 4:27-45 as I recounted my friend’s story:
* My best good news is knowing that Jesus really is the Saviour of the world (v42).
* The best gift that my Saviour brings is eternal salvation. Unfortunately, many still do not know.
* I have the best partner in God, who wants me to intentionally sow and/or reap from the work that has already been done (v36). Jesus is asking me to open my eyes to the field that is ripe for harvest (v35).
This Lent, let us honour God in partnering Him for His purpose that Jesus came to fulfil and give eternal life (v34).
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Jesus, Saviour of the world.
Reflection Questions:
1. Jesus’ food “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (v34). What is your food?
2. Open your eyes and look at the fields (v35b). Is there anyone you know who is ready to hear the good news and hence ripe for harvest?
3. Is God sending you to share the good news with this person, so that you may reap the benefits from what others have sowed?
