When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (Jn. 4:7)

The poor woman went to the well that day for the same reason she had routinely made that trip countless number of times before. She was not expecting any extraordinary situation as she approached the well. But the sight of the man sitting by it may have raised a hair. He was alone and nobody else was around the area. As she got ready to draw the water, the stranger said to her, “Will you give me a drink” (Jn. 4:7)? Now, wait a minute. The accent was familiar, but certainly not Samaritan. It was Jewish, and that was more shocking – for Jews did not associate with Samaritans (9). What followed next would change not only her life, but that of her town folks forever.

Many times, God isolates us in peculiar situations to get our attention. This was the case for the Samaritan woman with Jesus at the well. It was not by chance, as the world may call it. It was divinely planned. Neither was it dictated by circumstances. It was a determined agenda on the Savior’s earthly calendar, and very purposeful. The meeting had one goal – the salvation of a wretched woman (17-20) and that of many others in her town (39-42). It was a calculated meeting to open the Samaritans to the miracle and blessing of God’s redeeming grace. Every minute was planned for teaching and effect; and it was extremely successful.

For some people, God uses the sickbed to confine them for their attention. Other times He drives everybody away from us. He may choose to take something we love away from us or to prevent us from succeeding in something – either through our own negligence or other people’s doing – just that He may have us to Himself.

My call to ministry came that way. I was saved at a time when pride was driving my life in every way. My first love took me to every Christian meeting in town. Some aspects of my business that did not glorify Christ were shut down. However, nothing I initiated in their place succeeded. I sensed God’s call to ministry, but I was determined to grow my business before responding, for fear of what my friends would say. One morning, the Lord cleared everybody out of an entire townhouse in order to speak to me after my devotion in Sterling, Virginia. His question came very clearly as in an audible voice and in my native language: “The opinion of your friends and that of mine, which is weightier to you?” He had me. I broke down and wept like a baby, going up and down the staircase of the three story house, and asking for forgiveness. My direction was to train in Ghana, as my call was to Africa. Like the Samaritan woman, God isolated me to get my attention that day.

Your troubles may be signals of God’s call for your attention. Your message and direction may be different from that of Moses, the Samaritan woman, or I, but the isolation is for the same purpose – your attention. The earlier you respond and let yourself go, the better for you. My encouragement to you is to listen and yield to Him. It’s a call you will never regret responding to. I can’t bargain for a better deal with Jesus than what He has given me. Neither will you.