“The water I give him….” John 4:14
Think of a time you needed continuous water to satisfy you, but no matter how much you drank the thirst returned. One of those times for me was high school football two-a-day practices. Those hot and humid August afternoons sapped my strength and made the inside of my mouth feel like sandpaper. The relief was a quick slurp from a hose, or dip of a cup into a container with remnants of dirt, grass and sweat from teammates’ hands. It didn’t matter, I was desparate for relief.
There’s a story of a woman that Jesus encountered who was desparate for relief. She made regretful decisions, was currently in a life-style that wasn’t appropriate and pleasing in the eyes of the public. She was from a different “class” of people than Jesus. He didn’t condemn. He cared.
Jesus met the Samaritan woman where she was – alone, embarrassed and trying to avoid contact with anyone whom potentially knew her background or would shame her. The place was a well or spring of water attributed to Jacob (the father of the 12 tribes of Israel – chapters 29 and 30 in Genesis). Chapter 29 details a well that Jacob came across and notes a “large stone the shepherds would have to roll away from the opening of the well”. Now at a well attached to Jacob’s name and legacy, The Good Shepherd, who one day would have a stone rolled away from His grave for access to eternal life, talked to an outcast about access to a well of water that springs up within and satisfies forever.
“Give me this water so I won’t get thirsty,” the woman said. Even though she wanted to keep her past in the shadows of her private thoughts, Jesus offered a saving grace and hope that caused her to share publicly with anyone who would listen, and many believed in Jesus (John 4:39).
We all have past regrets that we seek to put behind us and keep private. We thirst for relief and hope for our parched souls. I believe Jesus is that source of hope that never runs dry. Even during times of drought in our life, Jesus will provide refreshment and restoration. All we have to do is trust and follow Him.
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