Quenching Our Thirst

Jesus had many encounters with women.   He was a great liberator of women in a society which had given them a lesser role, many women became His devoted disciples.  Mary Magdalene, the sisters Mary and Martha, Joanna and other women whose names we will never know. 

Although the Lord came first to His own people He had several dealings with gentile women as well.  Perhaps one of the most interesting is His encounter with the “woman at the well.” We don’t know her name, but her story is one of the most famous in Scripture. 

She was Samaritan woman The Samaritans were disliked by the Jews, who thought they were inferior because of their mixed blood.  In fact, they were so disliked that the Jewish travelers were take a longer route north, rather than go through Samaria. 

Jesus and his band of disciples took the shorter route north and went through Samaria.  I’m sure this was intentional on the part of Jesus.  He had reasons for traveling through Samaria. 

It is high noon, and Jesus is sitting at a well, outside the city.  His disciples have gone into town to buy food for lunch. 

                                                Here she comes!

The Samaritan women is coming for water.  Jesus sits at the well.  He is dressed as Jewish man in His shawl with tassels. She says nothing to Him, but He initiates a conversation. 

She has chosen to come to the well in the heat of the day.  She isn’t with other women.  We might guess that she wasn’t liked or viewed as an outcast in her society. 

This Jewish man is waiting at the well.  He asks her for a drink. (John 4:7) She replies that it is strange for a Jewish man to be speaking with her.  He questioned her.  She answered.  He told her about her life. How did He know?  Was He a prophet? 

He told her about living water.  It is not to be found at this well.  What water is living?  How could water be living?  She wanted it. She would never be thirsty again. 
He presented to her who He was.  He was the only one who could give her the life changing “water of life.”  It was the message of salvation not only for Jews but for these Samaritans and anyone who comes to Him as Savior. 

With one simple message, Jesus presents the true gospel.  The gospel of good news of salvation.

Thus, this outcast woman could represent all of us.  We have gone our own way.  We “draw our water” from a “worldly “well.  We are living in a dry and arid land. 

                     What we need is the living water………of Jesus.

                                       He will quench our thirst.