Thirsting for Living Water - The Samaritan Woman's Story

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The Samaritan Woman is never identified by her name - maybe because it is easier to identify with her story by having her remain nameless.  After all - I'm pretty confident we've all been ashamed of our stuff at one point or another...

The Scriptures say that Jesus "had to go through Samaria" to get from Judea back to Galilee (John 4:4).  The reality is that often times Jews would cross the Jordan River in order to avoid Samaria, because Samaritans were considered "unclean" and Jews did not associate with anything "unclean".

But Jesus "had to go...".  He had a divine appointment with an unlikely person.  And He knew it would be RADICAL!!!

Around noon, when the sun was at its hottest, Jesus sat down at a well - alone.  The ladies would draw water from the well at the end of the day in order to avoid the midday sun.  But He knew one of the girls would be heading toward the well at noon.

Why would this woman choose to draw water in the sweltering heat?  Had she not drawn enough the day before?  Had she been extra thirsty?  Perhaps her jar had broken?

Most likely this is when she CHOSE to come to the well.  Her timing had been thoughtful and planned.  See this woman probably did not have a lot of friends to chat with at the well - in fact - she probably was the source of gossip at the well.

Not only had this woman had five husbands, but she was currently living with a man who was not her husband...And everybody knew.

So her guilt and shame kept her from wanting to be out in the crowds.  Her guilt and shame prevented her from other meaningful relationships...sound familiar yet??? 

What does your guilt and shame cause you to avoid?

I can only imagine her already heavy heart sinking even more when she approached the well and saw a man - a Jewish man - sitting there.  Just what she needs - to be made even more aware of who she was.  Now she would be reminded that she is considered "unclean" and "dirty" in his eyes.

To her shock the man asks her for a drink.  The woman and Jesus both knew this was a crazy question because she was a woman and a Samaritan.  He would become "ceremonially unclean" if He touched anything she had touched.  But this was the ice-breaker.

Quickly Jesus had her attention by mentioning "the gift of God" (John 4:10) and "living water" (John 4:10).  The NIV Study Notes say, "the gift...was God's grace through Christ..." and "living water was not stagnant cistern water but fresh, flowing water, as of a spring or mountain stream, that revives and refreshes life...it refers to that which produces eternal life."

In the middle of the desert, access to water is the difference between life and death.  Her interest in this kind of water that could lead to eternal life had piqued.  And she says, "Sir, give me this water so I wont get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water" (John 4:15).

I'm guessing she was thinking she could hide from the judgement and condemning stares of the town if she never had to return to the well again.

And now Jesus knows He has her right where He wants her.  He has something she is desperate for - and she doesn't even know it!

Without mincing words or candy-coating the situation, Jesus gently calls out her sin.  She tries to dance around it with a half-truth, but Jesus digs even deeper into her sins.

She could have run you know.  He was not forcing her to stay and listen as He peeled away her secrets.  She could have told Him all the reasons - all the excuses for her five husbands and live-in boyfriend.  She could have said He didn't understand - or just told Him to shut up....But she didn't. 

She stayed.

She stayed for her divine appointment with Jesus.  She saw and recognized her sin and her need for this Savior.  She had a face-to-face "Come to Jesus" meeting!  And when she ran off, it wasn't in shame but in freedom!  And she couldn't wait to tell EVERYBODY!!!

This one Super Sinful, Unclean, Samaritan Woman's testimony transformed an entire town!  Her story was carefully, thoughtfully, and intentionally woven into God's Perfect Story!

What can we learn from this precious woman? 
Stay.
Listen.
Accept Responsibility.
Recognize You Need a Savior.
Then MOVE! Run and TELL!
Watch God Radically Transform Others!

She refused to continue allowing her sin to control and have power over her ability to be used by God!


You can read more about the Samaritan Woman's story at She Reads Truth.  Also read John 4:1 - 45.