"Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
John 4:13-14
John shares the story of Jesus with the woman at the well, an event in His life that teaches us so many wonderful things about Him. Our verses for today are just a sliver of this divine encounter. Let me encourage you to read the story in John 4. John says of Jesus that “he must needs go through Samaria,” (John 4:4). There was in that place a woman who desperately needed His message and salvation. We know that Jesus cares for the multitudes, but here we watch Him meet the needs of this woman. He gives her refreshing water for her thirsting soul.
“Jesus answered and said unto her,”
There were several social rules that Jesus broke as he talked with this woman that day. Her soul was more important to Him than keeping the guidelines of their cultures. Jesus spoke to this needy soul, by asking for a drink of water. But very quickly He turned the conversation from the mundane to the spiritual need of her heart.
“Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:”
The water from the well at Sychar could never slake the thirst of a parched soul. Natural water can only meet physical needs. It can never quench the thirst of a soul. As this lady did, today so many try to replace the ache in the soul with earthly things that can never heal it. The things of this earth can never satisfy the longing of the soul, like salt to the tongue, these things only increase the thirst. Jesus showed her the simple truth that if she drank of this well water, she would be back tomorrow for more, and the next day, and the next.
“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;”
After the disappointment of her life, this was fantastic news indeed! She could not imagine drinking water that, to drink it once, would satisfy and permanently quench her thirst.
With natural water, you must keep on drinking.
With Jesus’ water of life, you only need to drink once!
“But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Jesus’ water becomes a fountain in the believer. “Well of water” A.T. Robertson translates as,
“Spring (or fountain) of water leaping (bubbling up) unto life eternal.”1
Jesus’ water is the constant and fresh water of eternal life. Friend, do you know Him? Have you put your faith in Him? Have you tasted of the Water of Life that only He can give you?
Fill My Cup, Lord2
By Richard Blanchard
Like the woman at the well, I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy.
And then I heard my Savior speaking—
“Draw from My well that never shall run dry.”
Chorus:
Fill my cup, Lord;
I lift it up Lord;
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole.
There are millions in this world who are seeking
For pleasures earthly goods afford.
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.
So my brother if the things that this world gives you
Leave hungers that won’t pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray—
1. A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, the electronic version in eSword.
2. “Fill My Cup, Lord,” by text and music by Richard Blanchard (1925 – 2004). © 1959, renewed 1988 Word Music, LLC.