Drawing Water from a Dead Well
by: Paula Phillips-Wiggins
The other day I picked up my Bible to read the story of the “Woman at the Well” found in John 4:1-29. It hauntingly reminded me of my own story of redemption- of the many times Jesus has ministered to me right where He found me.
As the story goes, Jesus traveled through Samaria, and He sat down to rest by a well. A Samaritan woman came up to draw water, and Jesus asked her for a drink. She responded to him, “How is it that You being a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman for a drink?” (For Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans in that day.) Jesus looked at her and said, “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.” The woman replied, “Sir, the well is deep, and You have nothing to draw with, where then do You get this living water?” The conversation continued and it wasn’t long before Jesus showed her just how deep He could go.
He told her “Go, call your husband and come here.” ouch. She replied, “I have no husband.” ouch. Yet, His next response was one of gentleness and concern; “You have well said, ‘I have no husband’, “for you have had five husbands and the man you now have is not your husband, in that you have spoken truly.” Double ouch. He sure knew how to draw the pain of her heart to the surface! What she didn’t know was that He was revealing to heal.
Jesus saw her. Knew her. Really knew her. As she looked into the depth of His eyes, she saw her fragile heart reflected in the pools of compassion in which she gazed. And in this very sacred moment, she was offered the gift of a lifetime. Living water. The kind that can only be offered by the true Lord and Messiah- the King of Israel. When she accepted His offer, a divine exchange happened. One that changed her life forever. Not just her life alone, but that of all the people in her town- many of whom had likely scorned and shamed her.
Just like the woman at the well, I have regrettably found myself many a time drawing from a dead well which had nothing refreshing to offer. Parched and beyond exhausted from self-destructive behavior, I have looked for comfort, hope, and refreshment in that which was lifeless. Confused, guilty, and ashamed, Jesus has lovingly rescued me and redeemed my story. Isn’t that just like Him? A flickering wick He will not put out.
Oh how great the love of Jesus is! If only we could grasp how dearly He loves us! No matter how painful and gruesome life is, no matter how rotten and offensive our sin is, His heart is to always provide us with living water.
Friend, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Just like He pleaded with His people thousands of years ago to look to the Fountain of Living Water instead of their own broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:13); and just like He met the Samaritan woman with a checkered history and offered her Living Water, He is now extending the same loving offer to you. Will you drop that which doesn’t satisfy and fall into the arms of the Lord who loves you deeply? Stop trying to draw sustenance from a dead well. Only Jesus can truly satisfy. He stands ready to water your dry places with His Living Water.
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To love well as Christians, we must grasp the depths to which love went for us and understand how deeply we are loved. The Bible tells the story of a good Father who passionately loves His children, giving the most valuable possession of heaven to redeem us. Love paid a high price for us.