Living Water

John 4:7-14

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food). The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans). Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” Sir, the woman said, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock? Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:7-14).

What does it mean to “thirst for living water?”

On his way to Galilee with his disciples, Jesus stopped outside the town of Sychar in Samaria, which was the shortest way to his destination. He decided to sit at Jacob’s well to rest while his disciples went into Sychar for food. Meanwhile, a Samaritan woman from the town arrived to draw water from the well, and Jesus asked her for a drink. Shocked that a Jewish man would even speak with her—a Samaritan woman—let alone acknowledge her presence was astounding. How often have you felt overlooked or invisible to others? By speaking with a Samaritan woman, however, Jesus was bypassing the cultural norms of the time and showed compassion for the burdens she carried in her life.

Jesus was aware of her life of sin and the shame she carried for the bad choices made that caused her to avoid her neighbor’s judgmental stares in public places. Her arrival at the well during that time of day was an indicator of her desire to avoid the company of others. However, when God comes in to rescue us from our sins, he is always right on time. The Samaritan woman’s day of redemption had come!

The clever woman soon realized that she was not only speaking to a rabbi but the Messiah. Jesus explained that He is the living water and that the one who drinks it will never go thirsty again. Bewildered for only a moment, His words permeated and captured the attention of her heart. A well-spring of joy bubbled up from inside, almost overflowing.

She may have been rejected by her Samaritan neighbors, but there are no outcasts with Jesus. He will never turn away a repentant sinner.  She believed in him because Jesus exposed the hidden shame in her heart and forgave her. She thirsted for compassion because of bitter disappointment and Jesus gave her an overflowing abundance. She eagerly ran back to Sychar to share her experience with others. Jesus took away her guilt and shame and gave her the boldness to share her testimony. She pointed others to Him, and because of His word, their lives were forever changed.

Because He is “living water,” Jesus willingly extends his mercy and grace to us even though there is nothing we can do to deserve it. A person whose been changed because of Jesus cannot wait to tell others of the newness they feel from the experience. The Samaritan woman became the first Gentile evangelist of her community to share Jesus with others.  He is the only one who can truly satisfy the longings of our hearts and it is only through Him that we can receive eternal life.

Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior? If not today, when?

Father God, thank you that you love me so much that you sent your only son as a sacrifice for my sins. Thank you for your forgiveness, mercy, and grace. I pray that those who hear this message will heed the words of Romans 10:9 which say, “If you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” I pray their hearts will be softened, and they will receive your gift of salvation and eternal life. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Scripture References:

Isaiah 65:13-14; John 3:16; John 17:2-3; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:32; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Hebrews 3:3; 1 John 5:20