Read: John 4:4-26
THEME: The Gospel record gives us so many examples of how people engaged with Jesus that it would be hard to find a human challenge that did not in some way meet Him face-to face.
The well at which Jesus met the Samaritan woman was not just any well. She had come to draw water from Jacob’s well. She knew who had dug it, who had drunk from it, and how deep it was. There was nothing wrong with Jacob’s well; it provided a good temporary solution to physical thirst and Jesus was happy for her to help Him drink from it, even though His request shocked her. But when Jesus offered her living water, which He said would continually slake her thirst, she was curious. This could save her leaving her house and let her hide permanently from her neighbours.
There was a problem, though; the well was deep and, although she sensed that Jesus might be greater than Jacob, He had no rope and bucket. She was of course right about Jesus being greater than Jacob and His well is even deeper than Jacob’s well was, but no bucket is needed. The spring supplying it is strong enough to deliver at the surface as well as to satisfy the depths. It is the spring of resurrection life that was to see Jesus triumph on the cross.
The woman was so overwhelmed with what she had received that she left her water-pot at the well. She would need it again to draw physical water, but she had discovered a deeper well that had enabled her to confront her past, face her future and embrace her neighbours.
Let’s be quick to recognise the fullness of the solutions Jesus brings to our circumstances.