Any other man at Jacob's well that day would have ignored the Samaritan woman. The barriers of race, religion, sex, character, and social position were too great. But Jesus was different. He had chosen to go to Galilee by way of Samaria. He had chosen this place to rest because a lonely woman needed to hear a word of hope.
"Will you give me a drink?" He asked.
This wary, wordly-wise woman countered His question with another question, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (John 4:9)
Her question hung in the air unanswered as Jesus turned His first request inside-out. "If you knew the 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 4:10)
What kind of riddle was this? He had asked her for a drink. Then He told her He had 'living' water she could ask for. Was this double-talk?
Jesus posed His question to open a conversation. But He also had a different end in view. He wanted to awaken in this woman two things: an awareness of her need, and of God's willingness to meet her need.
The beginning of having our thirst quenched is knowing that we are known by God and can still be accepted by Him. Following Jesus means taking a clear-eyed look at the facts of our lives without glossing them over. There's nothing quite like facing the reality of ourselves to help us see our need for God. The need is our thirst for the living water that Jesus offers to us all.
Draw near to Him now.
Rev. Patricia E. Walker, AlphaChurch.org
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