“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “ Will you give me a drink?” (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food). The Samaritan woman said to Him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews did not associate with Samaritans).” (John 4:7-9)
“Jesus answered her, “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 )
In John 4:11-18, Jesus and the Samaritan woman speak of this living water. She asks Him for the water He speaks of, when He says that anyone who drinks this water will never be thirsty again. When He tells her to bring her husband, she replies that she doesn’t have one. He then tells her of her five husbands, and how the one she currently was living with was not her husband.
He then says, “What you have just said is quite true.” (John 4:18)
The next few verses are remarkable. He reveals to this woman, (who moments before did not feel worthy to share a drinking vessel with Him) the plan for salvation… for all people.
“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe Me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem” (John 4:21)… “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24)
“The woman said, “I know that Messiah is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.”
Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you, I am He.” (John 4:25-26)
The woman not only left the well without getting the water she came for, she also abandoned the valuable vessel she meant to carry it in. Forgetting her original errand, she exchanged it for a hasty mission to evangelize about who she met. She did not fear what others would think, because she had finally met the the One who saw her, who spoke with her as if she mattered to Him ~ the Messiah.
“Then, leaving her water jar, the woman came back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:28-29)
Many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of her testimony! (John 4:39). They asked Him to stay with them (again, this is profound due to the typical nature of Jews avoiding Samaritans) and He stayed for two days.
“They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know the this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42)
Perhaps some of us have felt unworthy of being seen by Jesus, like the Samaritan woman? Or maybe we have simply been knocked down by life… or by pain in trials? I have great news for all of us! “Come, see!” We have a Good Shepherd who sees us as we are, where we are, and He loves us.
“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know Me – Just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father – and I lay my life down for the sheep.” (John 10:14-15).
The Samaritan woman met her Shepherd and in doing so, she finally found the antidote to her previously empty spiritual life. “Come, see!” Was her beautiful response. Let’s imitate her by sharing the wonderful ways God has shown up in our lives, and remember that we can “visit Him at the well” by prayer and meditating on God’s Word!
You are seen, loved, and known by your name. Praise God for His everlasting love.
Who wouldn’t want to follow Him?