Are You Thirsty? | John 4

Welcome to Real Life. No one can live without water.

“Will you give me a drink?” Jesus asks a Samaritan woman.

Nothing satisfies thirst like cool, clear water—especially after a long hike. Jesus and his disciples were on a 70-mile trek from Jerusalem to Galilee. About halfway, they stop in Sychar, Samaria to rest. While the disciples enter the town to buy food, Jesus waits outside the city at Jacob’s well. When a Samaritan woman comes to draw water, he asks her for a drink.

A drink of water is no big deal, right? Actually, it is. “You’re a Jew and I’m a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” she asks. Jews did not associate with Samaritans. They considered them half-breeds who worshiped other gods alongside Yahweh. Jews believed any contact with Samaritans (like drinking from the same ladle) rendered them unclean.

“If you knew the gift of God and who asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water,” Jesus replies. “Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst. Indeed, it will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

 
“Sir, give me this water so I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” Her interest is piqued. She imagines some supernatural water that will forever quench her physical thirst and lighten her workload. Jesus, however, redirects the conversation to spiritual thirst.

“Go, call your husband and come back,” he tells her.

“I have no husband.”

“You are right. The fact is you have had five husbands and the man you now have is not your husband.” Clearly, this woman is parched. She has been thirsting for love, for wholeness, for satisfaction—and coming up empty. Jesus does not expose her relational history to shame her, but as a means of revealing his identity.

It works. For she responds, “Sir, I see you are a prophet… I know the Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

“I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

BOOM. There it is. The first time Jesus declares he is the Messiah is to a thirsty Samaritan woman. Because that's why he came. He came for the thirsty. He came for people like her and me and you.

Just then, the disciples return. The woman leaves her water jar and enters the town calling out, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could he be the Messiah?” The people go and see Jesus. He stays with them for two days proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Many place their faith in Christ as the result of this woman’s testimony.

Are you thirsty? Much of life is consumed with meeting our physical needs. Work, eat, sleep, repeat. We can be so focused on surviving that we ignore the deeper hunger and thirst of our souls. Have you been longing for unconditional love, wholeness, soul satisfaction—and coming up empty? Jesus’ offer still stands.

“Whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst.
Indeed, it will become in them a spring of water
welling up to eternal life.”

Dear Lord Jesus,
I am so thirsty.
I long for more of you, more of your love, more of your Spirit.
Only you can satisfy our soul's thirst.
I pray for those who do not know you,
Who have never tasted of your Spirit.
I pray they will drink deeply of your living water
And receive the gift of eternal life.
In your holy name I pray. Amen.


Take it further…
Are you thirsty? A life of faith can begin with a simple, heartfelt prayer:

Dear Jesus, 

I am thirsty. I want to drink of your living water. 

I believe you are the Messiah, and that you died on the cross for my sins. 

Please forgive my sins and make me a new person.

Teach me how to live a life of faith.  

I surrender my heart and life to you.  

Jesus, help me to know you and follow you. Amen.

Learn more about what it means to follow Jesus at Chat About Jesus or call 888-NEED-HIM.

Image: Public Doman, courtesy of www.picryl.com