Living Stones – Monday, November 27, 2017
Who’s thirsty?
John 4:7
A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”
Here is another legendary Jesus conversation, John 4:1-26. Jesus, again on the move to avoid the Pharisees who were attempting to disrupt His ministry, headed back to Galilee. On this occasion, He chose a route through Samaria and encountered a very interesting woman.
It would appear, on the surface at least, that Jesus ended up in that place, talking to this woman because He was tired and thirsty from a long journey on foot. This local woman came out in the heat of the day to draw water, probably for her housekeeping chores.
Naturally, Jesus, sitting by a well, sees an opportunity to get some water from someone who is at the well with the utensils that would make it easy for someone to get a drink. So, He asks her for a drink. So far so good.
Well, as we know from the story, the Jews and the Samaritans hadn’t gotten along for a long time and so the woman was taken aback and questioned His decision to actually ask her for a drink. She would have expected that, thirsty or not, a Samaritan was too despised for a Jew to ask for a drink.
Well here is where the matter gets confusing. Jesus, who was tired and thirsty, Jesus who just asked for a drink, now turns to the woman and said to her that really, she should be the one asking Him for a drink.
Who is really thirsty here? At the beginning we were convinced that Jesus was thirsty, now He is telling the person who could have provided Him with a drink that she is the one who is really thirsty.
Now, this brave and vocal woman pounces on the absurdity that she observed. He had no utensils like she did and, given the depth of the well, there was no way to get water to refresh Himself much less a strange woman out and about by herself.
The most astounding aspect of this conversation here is that, after a while, the woman is convinced that she is the one who is thirsty. The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” John 4:15.
There is a tendency we all have to bring the basic human perspective to the situations that confront us. When Jesus suggests that He could provide for her thirst she makes a quick assessment of the situation and offers the problem she has seen, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?”
This was a very practical approach being adopted by the woman. She looked at the problem, looked at His resources and drew conclusions. We too can be very practical. In fact, we are often criticised when we are not being practical about the situations that confront us and the tools or resources available to us.
The real issue here is that we also tend to be so consumed with our routines, and have accepted the limitations of the available resources, that we become blinded to what our real needs are. We frame our needs in the context of the very routines and resources to which we have slavishly adapted. We go to the wells of life every day with our usual tools not expecting more than our accustomed supply. God often has more in store for us but we cannot even recognise our own thirst.
Up to this point, this woman did not have a revelation of who Jesus is, so she may be excused for not recognising that her assessment of His resources was totally wrong. We, however, don’t have that excuse. We go into every situation knowing who Jesus is, and knowing the promises of God. We go in knowing that, “… my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19.
We must be careful to not become so satisfied with what is available and think that what we have is enough to get us through. We must be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit as He shows us our true need. When we come face to face with our need we can depend on God to provide whatever is required.
The woman, having recognised her need, and recognising Jesus’ promise to supply said, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” Our lives change when we recognise the need and identify God as the source of supply to satisfy it.
Think on these things:
- As you contemplate your next move in life have you limited yourself to present routines and resources?
- Are you aware of any promptings from the Holy Spirit directly or through others to see beyond present limitations?
- Do you have the faith to move in a new direction confident that God will supply what you lack outside of your present resources?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today that we would be open to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He shows us our true need, and leads in God’s provision for us.
In His Grace
Pastor Alex