Living Water
“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘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.’” John 4:10
I was up really early one morning doing some writing and work in my home office. I became very thirsty, wishing I had brought my water bottle, but I didn’t want to disturb my family or the guest staying with us, all whom I prayed were still asleep. After about two hours I looked over and saw my water bottle! It had been there the whole time, just not where I normally set it, where I expected it to be. Needless to say I took a good long drink when I realized it was there.
It started me thinking: Christ is here beside us all the time, and as believers, His Holy Spirit is within us. He’s unchanging whether we see Him or not. He brought Living Water, and offered it freely for those who believed. But, He didn’t look like He was expected to look. He didn’t come in a manner the Jewish people thought He would. They didn’t see Him even though He was right there the entire time.
Many people still don’t see Him. The woman at the well saw Him (John 4:19, 25-26), and through her, many in a Samaritan village believed as well (John 4:28-30, 39-42). She was the first to hear the gospel (John 4:23-26). You see, she didn’t have any preconceived notions about what Christ should look like, or what He should do when He got here; she heard about the Living Water He was offering, and accepted it.
Vashti Murphy McKenzie wrote on the very last page of her book Journey to the Well*: “Daughters of the well, you have been drawn to the edge of the Living Water. Drink deeply and celebrate the woman you are becoming. The journey is not over, it is just beginning!”
The journey for this woman, this village and perhaps this whole region was just beginning. She was changed significantly enough to go from a woman who drew water at the 6th hour, (which is noon, the heat of the day to avoid going with the other women), to one who runs back to her village—to the same men and women she had been avoiding—to proclaim the gospel! She was changed forever; the people saw it and it brought them to Jesus.
Thank You, Lord, for the reminders You give us in the everyday things of the blessing of belonging to Your Son. “For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; ‘He will lead them to springs of living water.’ “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’” (Revelation 7:17 NIV). I pray we drink deeply of the Living Water today, and offer it to others who continue to thirst. Amen.
This message/devotional is SO ALIVE and full of that living water and LIFE! Thank you!