Living Water

Jesus and his disciples were on a journey from Judea to Galilee. He needed to pass through Samaria to get there. He ended up in a city called Sychar, near a portion of ground that Jacob gave to Joseph. Jacob’s well was there too. Jesus was tired from his journey and decided to sit at the well. At about 12PM a Samaritan women came with her water jug to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” The disciples were not with him at the time. They had gone into town to buy food.

The woman was surprised that Jesus asked her, a Samaritan, for a drink. You see, Jews and Samaritans did not associate with one another. Samaritans were outcasts because they were half breeds. Jesus responds in a powerful way. “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”

Jesus took his disciples into Samaritan territory because he had someone special to meet. This Samaritan woman. We will find out tomorrow that he knew all about her. How wonderful is that?!

This woman is completely taken aback when Jesus asks for water. The Samaritans intermarried with foreigners and therefore were despised by the Orthodox Jews. She thought he would never ask her for a drink of water. Something I learned today was, “the giving and receiving of water was a covenant of hospitality.” This was a way to show the value and worth of another individual.

Jesus surprises the woman again and offers something called living water to her. She doesn’t yet know this but it is, “living water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14) The living water he is offering her is eternal life. This will quench her spiritual thirst forever!

Have you ever been really physically thirsty at the verge of dehydration? What quenched your thirst at that time? I have and nothing but a cold glass of water would do. Now think of a time you have been spiritually thirsty. You were are out there looking for meaning, purpose, and love. Jesus is the one that will satisfy our thirsty longings. Take some time today thank Jesus for the living water he provides. He is all that we need and the only one who will truly satisfy!