In the fourth chapter of John’s Gospel, we read the story of Jesus and his conversation with a Samaritan woman who had come to Jacob’s well during the noon-time heat to get her day’s supply of water. As the woman approaches the well, Jesus makes a simple request of her, “Will you give me a drink?” The woman responds with undisguised amazement, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?”
And so a dialogue begins in which there is an amazing reversal of roles. It is not long before the woman who has been asked for a drink of water is addressing the thirsty traveler as “Sir” and asking him for the water he offers her. “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that ask you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
What is this water that Jesus offers to the woman, and why does he call it “living water”?
All through Scripture, water is a rich symbol with varied spiritual meanings, but always it speaks of LIFE. The precious physical water, coming from well or river, bringing life and beauty to the barren land of Jesus, was used by Jesus as an earthy symbol of that everlasting “from above” Holy Spirit which thoroughly quenches, revives, and satisfies the parched, dying human spirit of those who ask for the gift.
Jesus offers God’s indwelling Spirit as “living water” because it is an everlasting “gift from God.” It is as “living water” because of its ability to quench the soul’s deepest thirst for relationship with God. And it is as “living water” because it is continuously fresh and abundant, not just for a day, but forever.
Jesus tells this thirsty woman that his offer of “living water”would be as “a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” And that this “living water” will be given to her if she would believe and ask to receive it. Without hesitation she pleads, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty ….”
With patient love and grace Jesus’ leads her into an understanding that this gift of “living water” cannot be received without her first acknowledging her emptiness and soul-thirst which Jesus gently exposes in requesting that she “Go, call your husband and come back.”
Acknowledging the emptiness that Jesus exposed in her life, she now believes him to be a prophet and states her belief in the coming Messiah. Having led her to a confession of belief in the coming Messiah, Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you – I am he.”
And this very weary, joy-famished woman, with her thirsty soul now exposed, leaves her water jar at the well and runs back to her town of Samaritan neighbors, telling everyone that she had just met a Jewish man who claimed to be the Messiah. Many of the people followed her back to the well and Jesus, and many of them listened and believed Jesus’ promise of “living water.”
I think I hear their joy echoing in the words of the hymn “Satisfied” as written by Clara T. Williams.
All my life long I had pant-ed For a drink from some cool spring
That I hoped would quench the burn-ing Of the thirst I felt with-in.
Hal-le-lu-jah! I have found Him – Whom my soul so long has craved!
Je-sus sat-is-fies my long-ings; Through His blood I now am saved.
A few chapters later, John records that on the last day of the annual Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus throws out this urgent invitation to all the world, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” Then John explains, “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.” (7:37-39).
This is the invitation the Samaritan woman heard and believed. And it is the invitation that Jesus continues to give even now to all whose lives are barren and thirsty. It is the invitation given to those who keep dipping their buckets into the wells of the world for water that does not satisfy nor quench the despairing thirst within their soul for a meaningful, satisfying relationship with God.
In the last chapter of the last book in the Bible, we read in verse one, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.”
Then in verse seventeen we hear the universal “whosoever” invitation, “The Spirit and the bride say “Come!” And let the one who hears say “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”
May we, as the psalmist, pray, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (42:1-2). And may the prophecy of Isaiah encourage and assure us that “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (12:3).
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“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – March 15, 2023
Ray M. Geigley
Healing Rays of Righteousness 
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