Living Water

 Exodus 17: 1-7; John 4:5-30,39-42

 In Exodus we find the weary Israelites on their way to the promised land thirsty. They can’t find any water, but instead of asking God or Moses politely, they complain. It says they quarreled and tested the Lord. God comes to the rescue by having Moses strike the rock. This water lasted them a while and took care of their thirst but soon they would thirst again.

Remember this is a desert land so water was sometimes hard to come by and people would go miles to get it. In John 4, Jesus and the disciples are stopping at a town in Samaria and Jesus approaches a woman at the well there and asks for a drink of water. The woman is shocked since Jews didn’t like the Samaritans much less talk to them and the Jewish religious would never speak to an unclean woman. When she states this Jesus responds to her saying something that blows her mind. “If you knew who you were talking to you would be asking me for living water.” She eagerly responds asking where she can get such a labor saving thing. She also asks if he is greater than her ancestor Jacob who gave them the well. Jesus tells her then of water of which the partaker will never be thirsty again.

She, of course, asks for this water and Jesus proves himself to her by asking her to call her husband of which she truthfully answers she has none. He agrees with her and says you’ve had five husbands and the one you’re living with now is not one.

Many preach about her being an adulterer, a sinful woman since she’s had so many husbands. What the current reader doesn’t understand is how easily a man of this time could divorce a woman, leaving the woman to have to marry another for her support. A woman in those days had no control. Needing a man in her life she is living with one who refuses to marry her. Jesus is not condemning her but acknowledging her brokenness. Hearing Jesus response she realizes that Jesus is truly a prophet.

Realizing Jesus’ credentials she asks about where to worship and Jesus tells her a time is coming when you can worship God anywhere in spirit and in truth. When she says she awaits the Mesiah, an amazing thing happens – Jesus reveals himself, “I am he,” also translated “I am” and he does this to a woman breaking all the taboos of discussing theology with a woman.

Like the fisherman who left their livelihood to follow Jesus, this woman leaves her water jar – something valuable to her and runs to the city to tell everyone to come and see the man who says he is the Messiah. So many Samaritans came to hear Christ to see for themselves – since who believes a woman. Many believed, when they heard for themselves, that Jesus was truly the savior of the world.

What is this living water Jesus spoke about? Many think it could be Jesus himself, his teaching, or the Holy Spirit. I find it to be salvation received through believing in Christ. Continuing with the water metaphor – “this water will become a spring gushing up to eternal life” – where we will never thirst again. Amen

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