What's Filling Your Well?

During my devotion time today, I came across the story of the Samaritan woman and the well in John chapter 4.  This story is very well known, and the meaning behind the story is what makes this interaction so remarkable.

If you want, read John 4:1-34.  This is the scripture that I studied and prayed over this morning.

Before we jump in and talk about this, let's take a quick moment to pray for God's guidance:  Heavenly Father, thank you for another day to live for you.  We are thankful for your grace, mercy and providing hand.  I ask that you guide this discussion and that your blessing pour out that others may get the message that you have planned.  I ask this in your Son's Holy Name, Amen.

To set the stage, Jesus is making his journey to Galilee from Jerusalem.  It is the middle of the day.  The disciples are out looking for food.  While they are out, Jesus sits down near the well of Jacob.  A Samaritan woman approaches the well, and Jesus asks her to give him a drink.  This shocked the woman because Jews did not interact with Samaritans. 

The woman asked why he was asking her for a drink.  Verse 10 is how Jesus replies, "If you only knew the gift that God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water."

The next few verses, 11-14, basically goes like this:  The woman is confused and thinks he is talking about the well.  She tells Jesus that the well is very deep and that he doesn't even have a rope and a bucket.  She continues by asking who he thought he was.  Did he think he was greater than their ancestor Jacob who gave this well? 

Jesus response was both simple yet complex.  Those who drink water will soon be thirst, but those who drink the water I give will thirst no more.  It is fresh and provides eternal life. 

Let's look into this and dig deeper.  Jesus is showing us that his gift of salvation is for EVERYBODY.  He is also telling us that when we accept him that we will no longer thirst.  What a truly remarkable gift.  Just as our bodies need food and water, our souls need quenched, and when we accept the living water that is Christ, our souls will have all they will ever need. 

The woman still didn't completely understand who Jesus was and what he was telling her.  She was being very literal and thought she would never have to come and get more water.  Here is where Jesus makes himself known.  He asked her to go get her husband.  She told him she didn't have any.  Jesus said that is not only accurate, but she has had 5 husbands and the man she lived with was not even her husband, and that she spoke the truth.

What Jesus did with her and what he does with us.  He was making her come face to face with her sin.  The barrier was torn down and she was completely exposed and vulnerable.  God has this way of doing this with everyone.  He is showing this woman that she has to come to grips of her sin and who she is before she can appreciate and take from the well of living water. 

This is true for us just as it was for the Samaritan woman.  What is standing in your way in fully experiencing the living water from the well.  As you will find out, I am a huge Casting Crowns and Mark Hall fan.  In his book, THE WELL,  Mark uses the following description for the woman:  "She thinks she is standing beside a well talking to a man.  Instead, she is standing beside a hole in the ground.  And she is talking to the well."

Woah!  That is mind blowing.  It is also very accurate.  Jesus is our well.  He provides all we need.  We have to be careful not to put other things before Him.  When we do, we have our personal "wells" that pop up and we use those to fill us instead of the well of living water.  Don't let work, your spouse, you car, social media or anything else try to fill you.  You will soon find out that that supply will run out.  People in social media land will not provide lasting nourishment and will eventually let you down.  Only God, can and will provide all you need. 

Because music is such a huge part of how I communicate with God, I am going to share another song.  This one is coming from Casting Crowns again.  This song is dear to my heart and I am hoping at some point to share this with my church, Catawba United Methodist Church.

Before I close, I ask.  Is there anything that is standing between you and the well that provides living water?  If there is, all you have to do is look to God and ask him to forgive you.  Like the Samaritan woman, He already knows.  He just needs you to admit what you are doing and that you are fully turning to him and relying on His living water.  I am here to pray for you.

I will close with a word of prayer:  Our Gracious and Loving Heavenly Father, we thank you Lord for providing Living Water and being our never ending Well.  We are ready to rely on you and that your provide all we need.  During this time of great uncertainty, I pray that your people dip into your well to find the strength and courage needed to deal with this virus.  I pray that this message helps someone find that living water that you have for us all.  We ask these things in your Son's Holy Name, Amen