The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw."
Her Thirst:
The passage expresses 2 things
1. Her search of her life
2. Her low self-esteem
She talks in 2 meanings i.e. both in Spiritual and earthly terms. By giving this answer she too gets in the wavelength of the LORD.
Spiritual water: LORD, give me this living water so I don't have to thirst again. I am searching for truth. Let this be my stop. I don't have to walk in Shame and guilt. I am walking in self loathe and blame.
Earthly water: Though she wants to live her life right, she is afraid to take the step outside with fear of being mocked and ridiculed. Given a chance by her fellow woman, she would have come to draw the water in the morning and their acceptance would have helped her with the new life. But it didn't happen. Her inner urge is to escape the world and their slander is expressed subtly and painfully in the above passage.
*The world sees her life and not her heart. She is in repentance. Nobody but the LORD alone can see it.
16 He said to her, "Go, call your husband and come here." 17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly."
Her Life revealed: The lord says he knows of her sinful and immoral life. He doesn't condemn it. This is to let her know that her sinful life past doesn't matter. He wants to let her know that his grace and mercy is sufficient is enough to receive the living water. He wants her to walk free. Free from past guilt. If she asks, he will give the living water of eternal life.
3 key points:
1. Salvation is for your entire household (v.16). Not just you. (Acts 11:14, 16:31)
2. She doesn't hide and put an act. She confesses by saying "I have no husband"(v.17). He seeks repenting heart. (Acts 2:38, Psalm 38:18, Luke 13:5)
3. His hidden answer to her concern is in previous verse (v.14) – Your past does not dictate your freedom and salvation. I set you free. You are free. You don't have to hide yourself.
Reason why LORD chose her – She is waiting for him, the Messiah.
19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship."
A believer: Look at her response and her questions.
1. She is not offended by JESUS's revealing of her life. She does not try to justify or scorn or get upset. Because she has a repenting heart about her life
2. She asks about the place of worship because she knows that the solution that she is seeking lies only in spiritual realm. But she do not who is the real GOD
3. Few more features of the Thirsty lady revealed here
· She has practiced her religion and had not found peace. She believes GOD of Jews the Jehovah would be the answer. Hence the reverence and quick identification of Jesus as Prophet.
· Being a gentile she do not know if she can pray to Jehovah. She is in look out for more information.
· Another Important Character of the Lady is that she doesn't ask for Earthly blessings which I am sure she is in big need of. Yet, she has surpassed that because she has recognized that her spiritual needs are bigger than her earthly needs.
**Note: In my case, I can't help but compare myself to this Lady in this situation. Being born with a different religious background the search for real GOD for me stopped when I had the personal fellowship with the LORD thru Bible.
21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
Discipleship:
· He calls her to believe her, - A disciple.
· He teaches the principles of church and disciple ship
· Talks about Holy spirit
· TRUE Worshippers is of any race, creed and caste
· Worship should be in Spirit and Truth (word of GOD)
In detail:
1. You worship what you do not know – You are worshipping that is not true. You cannot be sure of its blessings because you do not know what you are dealing with.
2. We worship what we know – We worship Jehovah who loves to bless his Children. (Psalm 136) While we worship Jehovah we know what is in store for us. What we can expect.
3. For salvation is from the Jews – Salvation comes from Lineage of King David who is a Jew. He does not say salvation is FOR the Jews. It is FROM the Jews FOR everyone who believes.
4. He moves to the worshipping the LORD – How the true worship should be? – In Spirit and Truth.
5. He also says LORD seeks true worshippers. Their caste and creed doesn't matter. Gal. 3:7 "Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham"
6. Why in Spirit – Because GOD is the word and spirit. Word is the truth.
25 The woman *said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us."
· She is well aware of prophesy in Isaiah and believes in it.
· She is WAITING for the messiah. She is waiting for him to come and declare her the TRUTH – AND for this reason the LORD is waiting at the well for her.
When you wait on the LORD,…Remember he is already waiting for you.
26 Jesus *said to her, "I who speak to you am He."
· Revelation like how GOD revealed to Moses in Exodus. Also in Matt 16:16-20 he reveals the same to his close 12 disciples. Jesus by revealing this to her, he immediately acknowledges as his disciple. How significant it is!
· Revelation is done only to Moses, the servant of GOD saying "I AM WHAT I AM" Exodus 3:14 and even today Lord Jesus has appeared only to the servants of GOD and other humble souls.
27 At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why do You speak with her?"
Lesson for Disciples: Even today you cannot question GOD's work in people's life. He would be sinner, your adversary. If LORD decides, it is what it is. Remember Jonah story and Nineveh. Nineveh is a wicked pagan city, But LORD had decided to forgive and bless the city.
Just prepare to Be AMAZED!
28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city
First thing first:
She leaves the water pot – meaning
· She has received the Living water
· She drops everything in her hand. She becomes an instant evangelist.
*said to the men , "Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not [f]the Christ, is it?
· Said to the men: She does not feel like moral out cast anymore. Her self esteem is high. She knows she is forgiven. She is not shameful in going in public and declaring the GOOD news.
· What I am in my life and heart: Also, she humbles herself to glorify his name.
They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.
· Her calling for Christ was so powerful that they came out of the city to meet him.
· The LORD reached out to only her. But, She brought the town to receive him.
39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done." 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world."
Testimonies
· Testimonies can change plans
· It brings hope and vision
Plans Changed:
Jesus stays in the City of Gentile, Samaria for next TWO days. He Blessed the City and preached Love, Hope and Faith. Many become believers for they witnessed HIS grace and mercy for themselves in their life.
All was possible, because there was one humble repenting heart waiting for Messiah.
Remember:
1. Your heart matters
2. Your longing for GOD matters
3. Be Humble.
4. Be ready to meet him.
5. GOD will meet you anywhere if you are looking for GOD.
6. When you have JESUS, the world follows you. I.e. Honor and Glory is yours.
7. LORD will use you to reach out to many. Don't be surprised! HIS plans are perfect and so is his LOVE!
My Dear friend,
If you are that "Thirsty woman or man"…, don't lose heart. HE is waiting for you.
GOD BLESS YOU!
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