Water for the Thirsty

Water for the Thirsty
August 26, 2013
John 4:10  "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.'"

The famous story of Jesus and the Woman at the Well can evoke many different thoughts and ideas.  The biggest that comes to mind is when Jesus was omniscient regarding her life; Jesus knew every detail of every marriage and divorce the woman had, even the status of her current live-in boyfriend.  Jesus wasn't discussing her relationships to condemn her at that point, but to make her aware that He wasn't an average person.  He was revealing His identity to her.  The conversation actually started by Jesus asking her for something to drink.  When she talked back to Him, He replied that He had the ability to give her living water so she would never be thirsty again.  Jesus was saying that He was water enough for her thirsty life.

The revelation of water to satisfy thirst is part of a prophecy found in Isaiah 55.  Isaiah foretold of food and drink that would satiate the innermost parts of man, a satisfaction that could be had at the deepest level of soul and spirit, which would only come from the Word of the Lord.  This was referring to Jesus.  He came to earth in order that we might have complete satisfaction for our thirsty spirit.  Jesus was the fulfillment of that prophecy, the one thing that could satisfy all the emptiness inside of our lives.  The woman at the well understood emptiness that could never be satisfied.

This woman, who needed the Living Water of Jesus, had tried to fill the emptiness in her life with relationships.  When the first relationship didn't satisfy her desires, she would leave it for another.  She did this multiple times, demonstrating her search for something that could be enough.  This is also why Jesus discussed her relationships; He knew she was searching for something to fill the empty feeling insider her world.  Her life was unfulfilled and she looked for things to fill it, to quench the thirst inside of her soul, only she never found it.

While the woman at the well used relationships to try and satisfy the emptiness inside, people can and do use many different things.  Some use drugs, some use overeating, some use shopping, some even use work to satisfy the hungry desires inside.  But there is only one thing that will bring satisfaction to a man or woman.  It is not the  successful feeling found in his or her physical life.  It is not the attainment of status or the collection of luxurious toys.  The only thing that can and will fulfill the empty feeling inside of you is a deep relationship with Jesus.  If you are reading this, you probably already know Jesus and possibly have a decent relationship with Him.  But is He the satisfaction of everything in your life?

If you already know Jesus yet still have hunger pangs every once in a while for something more, something different, then you aren't letting Jesus fulfill everything for you.  You have to LET Him quench the thirst for every area of your life, allowing Him to be the satisfaction in each particular corner of your thirst.  You are a multi-faceted being with many different levels of needs.  You have a need for ego satisfaction and it is time to let Jesus quench that thirst.  You have a need for emotional comfort and relational support; it is time to let Jesus quench that thirst.  You have a need to feel like you belong, to feel loved, cherished, and important.  It is time to let Jesus quench all that makes you thirsty.  He would say to you today that He is living water enough for your thirst.

Don't take my word for it; look it up:  Is 55, John 4