Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
“Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
John 4:6-15 (NLT)
So, we received this news this week in our little community of Fairhope…
Fairhope is mandating customers of its water utility cease all irrigation as the city faces a severe water shortage…The city mobilized Phase 3 of its water conservation ordinance today at an emergency city council meeting. Under Phase 3, anyone caught watering their lawn could be required to appear in municipal court and face a fine of up to $500…“The third phase is when you reach 100% capacity,” Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan told the city council. “And we are teetering right there on the 100% capacity.” Sullivan cited the recent high temperatures and dry conditions. She said the system’s capacity is 9 million gallons, and usage is close to 8.7-8.9 million gallons…Fairhope declares water emergency, residents face $500 fines for watering lawns (msn.com).
Water. It’s important. Nations have fought over it. People die daily without it.
Water is life. Water refreshes. Water quenches. Water cools. Water hydrates. Water is life.
We understand there are quite a few things which make water necessary for life. The human body is made up of more than 50% of water. It aids in digestion and improves concentration. The world’s greatest athletes know that proper hydration is fundamental to performance.
Yes, water is life.
Which is why Jesus’ statement, “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life,” is so powerful.
Jesus is saying, and very plainly we might add, “What I can give you is life. And this life cannot be duplicated by anything else. It will never be stale. It will never lose its efficacy. It will be just as fresh and life-giving all the way from beginning to end. The life I give you will never end.”
Pretty astounding statements.
The world will make rational and simple promises to you all the time. Promises they think/believe they can keep. We are sure the city of Fairhope (which is on Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico) never thought there would be a fresh water shortage! As one writer put it, “Water, water, everywhere! And not a drop to drink…”
Thanks be to God, His “water” will never run out. It can never run dry.
And, it’s not a question of us being thirsty. We are all thirsty. Our problem is we seek to “quench that thirst” with a multitude of human remedies. All of which seem right in the beginning but end up poisoning us and taking our very lives. Our very souls.
So, the question is, which water do you want to drink? The waters which are bitter and cause death or the pure, undefiled and unpolluted water of life which flows from the very heart of the Son of God? The former brings death but the latter grants life.
Let us drink freely and deeply from the One who gives us the water of life. Let us drink by reading God’s word; let us drink by praying to the One who alone can quench our thirst; let us spend time in devotions each day to hydrate our souls.
Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to “not” go and water our lawn…
.jpeg)
.jpeg)