Drop Your Formulas - You Can’t Save Anyone

Have you been praying for someone, hoping that they would wholeheartedly trust Jesus? Do you ever wonder, "What should I do? What could I say? How is this going to work out? How am I going to save him/her/them?"

We can naively think we control the outcome of someone's spiritual journey, but Jesus is the one who brings life change. He is the outcome. (Comment "amen" if you agree.)

The Samaritan woman at the well ran to her town to tell her friends and neighbors about Jesus. She was transformed, and that convinced them to drop what they were doing and meet Jesus. They invited Jesus to stay in town for a few days, during which time Jesus taught them, and they believed. She was but a conduit between Jesus and God's people. She participated in the miracle, but Jesus did the saving.

The story in John 4 teaches us, among many other things, that we should expose people to Jesus, the Bible, and our church. We can pray for them and answer their questions. We can walk life with them and shine the love of Jesus through our words and actions. But, we must remember that when God gives us a front-row seat to someone's spiritual transformation, we are not the ones doing the miracle.

God is intent on using us in his grand plan to save His people. But Jesus is the Savior. No manufactured formula can bring eternal salvation.

God's love, plan, and purpose for his people are more significant than we can imagine.

Today, let's put the people in our lives into the hands of God and thank Him for the privilege to see Him work in their hearts.

Today's key passage:

Many more believed because of what he said. And they told the woman, "We no longer believe because of what you said since we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world." John 4:41-42