“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 4:13-14
She stumbles forward in the heat of the day. Alone. Thirsty, parched, and tired under the burden she carries. Little does she know who is waiting for her. He, knowing she would be there, travels off the usual route to ensure they meet.
In this familiar passage from John 4, Jesus intentionally travels through Samaria instead of around it and stops at Jacob’s well. It’s the middle of the day and hot. A woman hurries forward towards the well, as if she doesn’t want to be seen. Carrying a large water jar, she pauses, noticing Jesus and realizing He is watching her. He, a Jew, initiates conversation with her, a Samaritan woman. How surprised she is to realize he is addressing her! He asks her for a drink and moments later, she is asking Him for water, for she is thirsty, both physically and spiritually. Jesus offers her living water, water that will quench her thirst, that will satisfy the longings of her heart.
Although the source of physical water in this Biblical account is found in an ancient well, often in Bible times, water was housed in cisterns. Each home had its own cistern, a reservoir that collected water, often rain water. Cisterns were constructed of stone, usually excavated from rock. Filled with water, cisterns provided the necessity of life for people in this arid climate.
Cisterns fulfilled their purpose until they developed cracks. When the water leaked out, the cistern was no longer usable. Instead, often these dry cisterns were used to hold prisoners, like Joseph in Genesis 37.
How much like these cisterns are we? Do we become cracked and dry, unable to hold water, the purpose for which we were made? Do our “wells” run dry due to busyness? Are we pursuing dreams of success, power, wealth? Are we chasing after beauty and the fountain of youth? Are we running after love and acceptance? If so, perhaps the pursuit leaves us drained, unsatisfied, and empty.
The woman at the well can relate. She has been pursuing love and acceptance only to find herself ostracized and lonely, not even comfortable drawing water from the well with the other women in the cool of the day. Jesus meets her where she is. He has compassion on her brokenness. He offers her the living water of eternal life so she will never thirst. She is changed and becomes light and hope to her village as she runs off to share the good news.
Jesus longs to fill us with His living water, water that will never leave us thirsty, water that satisfies like nothing else can. His love can heal the broken places so we can hold the living water, even to overflowing to others around us, in hopes that they, too, might offer their own cracked cisterns up to Jesus to heal and fill them. Jesus came so that we might have life, true life, and have it to the full, overflowing with love for God and love for others. Instead of pursuing that which will never satisfy, pursue the One who will fill you to overflowing. And that, my friend, is the only thirst worth quenching.
Lord, You are the Living Water and You long to fill me with Your love and presence. Heal the broken places in me and fill me to overflowing so that others may see You and Your compassionate and redeeming work in my life and want Your living water for themselves. Amen.
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Text and photograph copyright © 2018 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Wahkeena Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
She stumbles forward in the heat of the day. Alone. Thirsty, parched, and tired under the burden she carries. Little does she know who is waiting for her. He, knowing she would be there, travels off the usual route to ensure they meet.
In this familiar passage from John 4, Jesus intentionally travels through Samaria instead of around it and stops at Jacob’s well. It’s the middle of the day and hot. A woman hurries forward towards the well, as if she doesn’t want to be seen. Carrying a large water jar, she pauses, noticing Jesus and realizing He is watching her. He, a Jew, initiates conversation with her, a Samaritan woman. How surprised she is to realize he is addressing her! He asks her for a drink and moments later, she is asking Him for water, for she is thirsty, both physically and spiritually. Jesus offers her living water, water that will quench her thirst, that will satisfy the longings of her heart.
Although the source of physical water in this Biblical account is found in an ancient well, often in Bible times, water was housed in cisterns. Each home had its own cistern, a reservoir that collected water, often rain water. Cisterns were constructed of stone, usually excavated from rock. Filled with water, cisterns provided the necessity of life for people in this arid climate.
Cisterns fulfilled their purpose until they developed cracks. When the water leaked out, the cistern was no longer usable. Instead, often these dry cisterns were used to hold prisoners, like Joseph in Genesis 37.
How much like these cisterns are we? Do we become cracked and dry, unable to hold water, the purpose for which we were made? Do our “wells” run dry due to busyness? Are we pursuing dreams of success, power, wealth? Are we chasing after beauty and the fountain of youth? Are we running after love and acceptance? If so, perhaps the pursuit leaves us drained, unsatisfied, and empty.
The woman at the well can relate. She has been pursuing love and acceptance only to find herself ostracized and lonely, not even comfortable drawing water from the well with the other women in the cool of the day. Jesus meets her where she is. He has compassion on her brokenness. He offers her the living water of eternal life so she will never thirst. She is changed and becomes light and hope to her village as she runs off to share the good news.
Jesus longs to fill us with His living water, water that will never leave us thirsty, water that satisfies like nothing else can. His love can heal the broken places so we can hold the living water, even to overflowing to others around us, in hopes that they, too, might offer their own cracked cisterns up to Jesus to heal and fill them. Jesus came so that we might have life, true life, and have it to the full, overflowing with love for God and love for others. Instead of pursuing that which will never satisfy, pursue the One who will fill you to overflowing. And that, my friend, is the only thirst worth quenching.
Lord, You are the Living Water and You long to fill me with Your love and presence. Heal the broken places in me and fill me to overflowing so that others may see You and Your compassionate and redeeming work in my life and want Your living water for themselves. Amen.
Want to subscribe to future posts? Click here.
Text and photograph copyright © 2018 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of Wahkeena Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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