There is such a beautiful example of the effect of spiritual awakening in the narrative of the woman of Samaria in JOH 4:4-29. We read how Jesus 'must needs go through Samaria.'

Jesus must go through Samaria because there was a woman there whom He would deliver from the power of sin. Verse 7 reads, "There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink." Jesus did tis to reveal Himself unto that woman.

In verse 10 Jesus says, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."

In verse 15 the woman said unto Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." As the light began to shine this woman began to see the beauty there is in Christ. She said, 'give me this living water,' but she has never yet understood repentance.

It was when, "The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw," that, "Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither," When she said, "I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly," JOH 4:16-18.

Every sin she had committed was revealed by that light which now shone into her soul. All at once that woman's heart stood naked before the Lord! What was the effect? Did it drive her away? No, it brought her to Him.

Therein lay the distinction between those who have the grace of God in their heart, and those who are still under the power of sin. When the light of the gospel comes in and begins to uncover our sin, what does it do? It draws us to Him. We start to see our need of Him, we begin to understand our need to be cleansed.

She not only confessed her sins before Christ, but she went out to tell the world, "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?"

We must notice how she did not flee from this blessed light that shone into her soul, but she went out to the world to shine that light, to bring them unto that blessed light.

See what she used to draw her fellow man unto that light! 'He told me all things that ever I did'! These are those who long to enter into that heavenly Jerusalem where there will be no more abomination, no more pollution of sin!

This woman of Samaria not only came to Christ, but she drew the city after her to see the man that told her all things that ever she did. Oh, beloved, that blessed light of Christ's righteousness had sprung into her soul, and it drew her unto Him.

Herein we see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, this revelation did not drive her away, but it drew her after Christ in true repentance. Jesus said in JOH 3:20, "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." Amen.