Posts Tagged ‘living water’
Scripture reading for May 5th: John 4:4-42
Jesus chose a path back to Galilee through Samaria, stopping at the town of Sychar near Jacob’s well. The Samaritans were mixed Jews whose ancestors had intermarried with the Assyrian people used to repopulate the area around 722 BC. For a Jewish man to be seen talking to a Samaritan would have been scandalous. To be seen talking to a Samaritan woman would have been unthinkable. While the disciples were away getting something for lunch, Jesus Christ had an encounter at this famous well with a Samaritan woman that brought new life to her and her neighbors!
At about noon, Jesus was resting by this well when a woman came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Will you give Me a drink?” The Samaritan woman said to Him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can You ask me for a drink? (For Jews don’t associate with Samaritans.)” Jesus answered her, “If you knew that Gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.” (John 4:7-10) Jesus initiated a conversation with this woman and she was taken aback.
Jesus sparked her interest with a statement about living water and the gift of God. She tried to understand how He would be able to get this water without anything to draw it out with. She asked Jesus if He were greater than Jacob, who dug the well and drank from it. Jesus then told her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14)
Jesus was interested in this woman’s soul and drew her to request this living water. He then gently told her about her past and she changed the subject. In the course of the conversation about where to worship, the woman stated that she knew the Messiah would explain everything when He came. Jesus revealed a special truth to her, “I who speak to you am He.” (John 4:26) This woman left her water jar and ran to tell her friends and neighbors! Jesus loved this Samaritan woman and desired to have her in the Father’s kingdom! Living water draws a crowd!
Scripture reading for November 2nd: John 6-8
Thirst is a great motivator! When we were farming in Iowa, during the hot summers we had some jobs that made us very thirsty. Picking up hay bales on a humid afternoon with no breeze really worked up a thirst. The ones working in the barn out of the breeze had a “thirsty” job as well. Another job was cutting sunflowers out of the soybean fields with a machete. We had one farm with half-mile rows. It would be a mile up and back. In the hot summer sun, I would be thirsty before I got to the far end of the field. I knew that I would have to cut my way back to the water jug. It was a good motivator for the whole crew to work faster and make it back!
“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living waster will flow from within him.” “By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” John 7:39-39
On this last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, the custom was to get two large jars of water from the pool of Siloam and pour it out as an offering before the Lord. It was probably at this time that Jesus stood up and spoke to the crowd. He invited those that were spiritually thirsty to come to Him. He promised that if they would drink of His life, a life-giving stream of “living water” would flow from within them. John interprets this prophetic word of Jesus as referring to the Holy Spirit being poured out after Jesus’ ascension. The Holy Spirit would be a life-giving spring that would bring rivers of refreshing and life to those who would believe on Jesus and receive the Father’s blessing!
Are you “thirsty” from your hard work and labors in this sin-filled world? Has keeping the Law of God worn you out? Do you need a rest and refreshing? Jesus calls for us to come to Him for the relief we need. He was glorified as He ascended into heaven and was seated at God’s right hand. He poured out the Spirit on the day of Pentecost! He alone is the source of this spring of special “living water”. This water is obtained by faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God! There is no other means of obtaining it! That should motivate you to work your way back to the source and take a long drink! Living water: there’s no other drink quite like it!