When a Woman Who Had Been Married 5 Times and Now Living with a Man meets Jesus

There were many in Jesus’ day who found life hard, who had become disillusioned and dissatisfied and were looking for something better, more fulfilling. There are many like that in our society too, hunger for something more… could it be you?

Take for example, in John 4, a story of the Samaritan woman that Jesus met when he stopped by a well to rest on a journey. The fact that she had come alone to draw water in the middle of the day (v.6) suggests that all was not well. Gathering water was normally an early-morning, communal activity… there was something wrong here. When we read the story further, it becomes apparent that her problem was a moral one, involving men. But Jesus, with his keen perception, realized that her real problem was much deeper. So Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water [from the well] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water [Himself] 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, ESV. In bracket mine).

Understandably, just like me, the woman initially didn’t really comprehend what Jesus meant. She thought Jesus was talking about actual water. In fact, Jesus was addressing himself to her real problem which was not a thirst for water, nor even a thirst for sex, but – a thirst for life. But before she could begin to drink the life-giving water, Jesus had to help her see what she was really like, and challenge her to change her ways. So, in his infinite wisdom, Jesus asked her to fetch her husband – and then the truth was out! She had been married to five men but the man with whom she was now living was not really her husband (read John 4:16-18).

For a while she struggled with Jesus’ offer of life-giving water and its implications for her, but slowly she was released and was able to receive that offer. As a result, even though we’re not told exactly what she was thinking after that, she was obviously transformed and immediately began to bring others to Jesus. The Jesus whom she and others now realized was “the Saviour of the world” (John 4:42). Questions: Are you looking for something better? Do you dissatisfied with your life now? Is religion burn you down? Do you thirst for more, more than mere water, sex, money and power? Do you thirst for life? Come to Jesus and he will give you the life-giving water so that you “will never thirsty again.” Satisfied guarantee! Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.