I start every day with either a cup of coffee, a glass of orange juice, or a cup of tea. The variation depends on a few factors—weather, season, and hour—but the principle is the same: a quick beverage before I get my day started. But when I’m really, truly thirsty, the only thing that will satisfy that craving is plain old water. I prefer mine chilled, while others prefer room temperature. And some people will tell you that bubbly water hydrates you all the same, but I’m not convinced. I just want water.
The woman at the well might have thought the same thing when Jesus came to her as she was drawing water; she just wanted to get some water to drink. Jesus, exhausted from His travels, wanted the same thing. But the water that Jesus offers the woman is different from just normal water. He tells her that if she drinks this water, she will never be thirsty again (John 4:14).
It’s hard to comprehend a water that quenches thirst even more so than what we’re used to. But the woman, tired of coming to draw water from this physical well, is eager to hear what Jesus has to say about His water. According to societal norms, as a Jewish man, Jesus should not have even been associating with this woman, a Samaritan—and one who has had five husbands at that. But Jesus, in keeping with His way of reaching out to those who are cultural outcasts, sees her and offers her eternal life. Jesus, the Messiah, offers her living water.
Have you ever seen a child come in from playing outside, grab a plastic cup of water, and gulp it down ferociously, with deep breaths after every sip? There’s nothing quite like that quenching of thirst. It provides almost instantaneous relief, and gives the child enough energy to run back out the door and keep playing. That’s how I imagine the promise of living water to be: instantaneous relief, courage to keep going, and knowledge that the thirst will not creep back up on you.
The living water of eternal life is offered to us now because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has extended this grace to us, promising to never again leave us thirsty again. There will be a “well of water springing up” within us (John 4:14). When we drink from it, we experience the joy found in life with Christ. Come and drink, friends. Let us share in the goodness of living water.
Instantaneous relief, courage, freedom from shame and guilt of our pasts, unity, renewal, fresh start, new. All words I collected from this devotion and your comments to describe this precious living water. How much I need this living water today. Oh how I love to carry the burden of my past mistakes, my shame, my guilt. Such a sweet reminder that those things are no longer part of my identity in Christ. He broke those chains on the cross. The moment I accepted Jesus as my Savior, those chains are broken FOREVER. Hallelujah!
Who do you know that needs this living water today? Maybe you’re the one who needs it most today. Maybe you need to share it with someone else. Following yesterday’s devotion of Jesus demonstrating radical love – here’s another perfect example. Who are the outcasts in your circle? Who is carrying the burden of their shame? Who do you know that needs to experience this freedom today? As Bessie H said “I am renewed today to go and do likewise.” Let us go and do likewise <3
To think that God wants us to worship Him! “Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him.”
❤️
What struck me most was not the individual quenching of thirst for the Samaritan woman, though this is true, but the overarching theme of unity in the middle of societal disunity and the woman’s internal disunity- unity brought about by Jesus.
I’ve read this passage many times over the years. However, I was struck today by something in the woman’s response in v 15: “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” In addition to the filling and satisfaction of this living water, she also mentions she will no longer have to come to the well to draw water. In addition to carrying her water jug, she brought the shame of her past with her each time she went to the well. This was a woman likely planning her trips at a time of the day to avoid others. How often do we avoid situations where we might be confronted face on with our shame and guilt? Many women carry that burden still and long to be free from the shame of their past. Praying that like myself and this woman, they may experience the freedom that only the living water of Jesus provides.
This is one of my favorite stories because it shows so clearly how the living water of the gospel is for EVERYONE! It doesn’t matter what my background is, my socioeconomic standing is, what my past mistakes are. God sees all of that and forgives all of it. Such a peace filled promise. Friends, please pray for my friend Mario. He is searching and so close to entering into a real relationship with God. Pray for his soul & that he would be transformed by God’s living water.
Lord, I give you all of the ‘water’ I try to fill myself with. Reputation, people, media, everything. You are my satisfaction and my true eternal life. You are truth and you set me free. You are the only way. Lord, please fill me anew with this living water. I just want you.
Magnify- we are messengers. No One But You- hill song worship
14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.”
Lord, please help me to be filled and free in fellowship with you. Somehow you want me and love me!
My prayer for myself is that I would be slow to judge and quick to love and share the gospel instead of quietly condemning other sinners as Jesus loved the woman at the well. May I have as much patience with my toddlers as Jesus has with me when I (ironically) don’t have any for anyone else, when I’d rather just go back to bed or overspend at Target to cope with my feelings of inadequacy.
YOU are a good mommy! Enjoy these years. Their voices are just so cute and they say the funniest things. I miss those days.