Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  

- John 4:13-14

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well.

Jesus, who is traveling through Samaria, asks the woman for a drink of water from her vessel.

However, because she is a Samaritan, the Jews considered her unclean; therefore, if Jesus drank after her, He would also be.

But, Jesus is undeterred.

First, He establishes common ground with the woman. They are both thirsty.

Next, He communicates acceptance of her by asking to drink after her.

While the woman is never named in Scripture, her story is significant because it shows that Jesus cares about everyone. At that time, women were often disregarded or valued less than men. In addition, the woman was a social outcast because she was a Samaritan and not a Jew. She was drawing water alone, instead of with other women, possibly because of her past, further alienating her. She had had five husbands, and the man she was currently with was not one of them.

But Jesus uses the opportunity to convey a truth to us, as He often does throughout Scripture.

The Gospel is for all people of all nationalities and walks of life. Jesus does not discriminate; there is no sin that Jesus cannot forgive!

As Jesus and the woman continued talking, the woman realized that Jesus knew things about her that she had not told Him.

So, as He tells her He is the living water, she trusts Him, acknowledging Him as Savior.

This passage holds such meaning because no matter how others perceive you or the sins you have committed, God desires a relationship with you and offers that through the forgiveness Jesus paid for on the cross.

What incredible love is that?

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for showing me how deeply you love me. Thank you that because of your sacrifice, absolutely nothing can separate me from you once I accept your free gift of salvation. Amen.

With Love,
Sherry Shepherd