“Jesus answered and said unto her, ‘Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again; but, whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst—but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water spring up into everlasting water’.”
John 4:13-14
When the Holy Spirit lives within us, we need never wonder if we’ll be in short supply.
She was the Elizabeth Taylor of Sychar—a Samaritan town whose name means “Drunken town” or “Lying town.” So, we should not be surprised this five-time divorced, living-in-sin woman (v.18) would be fetching water at the hottest part of the day (v.6). . .for guilt-ridden hearts and shame-filled eyes don’t usually like others’ staring eyes and gossiping lips.
Needless to say, she was a bit taken back that day when she found Jesus sitting on the 7 ½’ across, 75-100’ deep well dug by Jacob, the Samaritan’s patriarch’s and the one to whom they traced their roots. She knew men didn’t normally talk to women in public—particularly if they were Jewish, “for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans” (v.9).
Regardless, Jesus had an appointment there that day (v.4).
And, that appointment was with this very woman, who’d been to the dry well of relationship five times and finally decided a “warm body” was better than “nobody” early in the morning.
Little did she realize that unusual encounter that day would be a life-changing one. Glory!!
Oh, dear Pilgrim, each day the Lord gives us “burning bush” experiences with Him and others. But, too often we’re so preoccupied with ourselves and our own problems that we fail to see them and allow the Heavenly Father to use us in them.
But, that wasn’t the case with Jesus.
Even though the woman tried to shift the attention away from herself when Jesus got too close for comfort (vv.16-20), our Lord dealt with her objections and soon got right back to the purpose for which He’d come: To tell her about “the Gift of God and the One with whom she was speaking” (v.10) and how He could quench the thirsting of her heart.
Read those words again:
“But the water that I shall give him shall be IN HIM a well of water spring up into everlasting life.” Hallelujah!!
Truly, He was talking about eternal life and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Racial differences, religion and relationships always leave us high and dry; but new life in Him is like a cup of cold water to a thirst-slaked man wandering in the desert.
No wonder the “woman left her waterpot, ran back into Sychar and told five former husbands and a live-in lover, ‘Come see a real Man! He’s the One I’ve been looking for all my life!” (v.29).
“Living Water.” That’s Who Jesus is to those Who know Him. And, as we grow in Him, that well becomes an “ever-flowing river that never runs dry” (Jn. 7:38)—which causes us to “bring forth our fruit in its season, with our leaves never withering and our efforts always prospering” (Ps. 1:3). Thank You, Lord.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated January 29, 2010
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