More.
We live in a world that thrives on more.
A world that promotes ambition, projects and insta-everything.
A world that promises fulfillment with each new conquered task, mountain and conquest.
Yet, it's still there.
This hole we each have.
Something is still missing, and dissatisfaction remains.
We feel lacking; overcome with a severe thirst.
A vicious cycle of temporary satisfaction.
As our holes grow deeper.
And these holes?
These holes in our lives run so secretly deep, they create a longing so great that they can only be quenched by one "thing"--a "thing" that cannot be found in this world.
Jesus Christ Himself.
But maybe...just maybe, that longing for more isn’t necessarily a bad feeling. For perhaps that deep longing was actually designed inside of us to keep us returning--to the One who can truly fill us. The One who provides us with strength and energy and puts spirit and life back into our bodies.
For, what if the longing we desperately try to fill through the world each day is actually a daily reminder from our Father Above to keep seeking His Son? And how can we turn that longing into a reminder to go and be filled by Him?
If we take a few moments to dive into John 4, we can see that there is actually a lot to be learned from the Samaritan woman:
You see, the woman at the well had a reputation. And, it wasn't a pretty one. In fact, she felt so completely outcast and judged, that she purposely journeyed to the well under the steamy, sultry midday sun, just so she didn't have to feel even further ostracized by the other women.
Yet, never in her wildest dreams, do we imagine the woman expecting to run into anyone the day she did, most especially Jesus Himself; Who not only "broke the rules" and spoke to a Samaritan woman, but who also requested water from her.
Astonished and flabbergasted, she meekly obliged, understanding her less-than-stellar status.
But Jesus? He didn't stop there, He pursued breaking through the barriers and continued to converse with her.
And while talking, candidly, Jesus used the water as a metaphor to teach this Samaritan woman. He spoke to her about the "living water"; which provides God's divine grade, and eternal life; His spirit within our souls. Through the conversation, the woman comes to realize, she must first confess her sins and strive to change her life, before she can obtain this "living water" of God's eternal grace and life-everlasting.
“And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, tired from his journey, sat beside the well. It was noon.
A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria.”
John 4:4-9
-She planned her day to avoid her deepest pain; yet, Jesus still met her there!
It would have been so unbelievably easy for the woman to leave. So easy for her to be completely overwhelmed by her problems that she didn't even attempt to understand them. But, not only did she stay and avoid fleeing--she pursued more with Him. The Samaritan woman was curious. She wanted to learn more about Jesus and His promises, and He responded with nothing but unconditional love for her, even though her sins ran deep.
And there lies our connection today--because He is here and waiting for us to do the exact same thing. He knows our sins, but He sees our hearts. He intimately knows our purpose through Him.
Above all, He knows, there is no running away from Him, no matter how hard we try, because Jesus is always there.
The invitation is there. It's always been there. It will always be there.
The invitation to sit with Him. To sit in His presence. And to have a conversation--whether straight from the depths of your weary heart, without a word being muttered from your lips--or loudly and boldly. He is ready and waiting for us to crack open our broken surfaces and let Him fill us in a way that can only come from sitting with Him and drinking from His Truth--the Living Water.
“The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ” Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”
John 4:9-12
-She had every reason to run; yet, she chose to stay and refill herself in Jesus--and when she stayed, she was filled.
Not only did the Samaritan woman stay with Jesus, but she questioned, inquired and opened her heart to change. Even more importantly, Jesus stayed. He showed her what she had been seeking all along--what could not be found in the unfulfilling promises of the world--that her unmet expectations and deep-rooted anxieties--the unquenchable thirst in her heart for acceptance and forgiveness--could be changed in an instant, by seeking the Savior and "drinking" from His Word and truth.
Jesus offered her something the world could never give to her--and she accepted. Jesus is our guarantee--but when we feel as though our sins run too deep, and we are too far gone--we don't deserve Him. And so He offers us a daily choice--seek Him first, and we will be cleansed and quenched through Him--in a way that the world can never do.
As humans, we are designed to crave and long for more.
Yet, how often do we truly seek the only "thing" that can fully satisfy our needs and desires?
Jesus was given to us, from our Heavenly Father Above.
One of our greatest human errors is not receiving Him.
Receiving Him is an action we must take every single day.
Accepting Jesus into our hearts is the greatest way to seek and earn eternal satisfaction.
“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.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
John 4:13-15
-Jesus offered the Living Water, and the Samaritan woman finally quenched her deepest desires.
The Living Well became an amazing example to each of us as a place of acceptance, unconditional love, redemption and truth--a place we can each seek--and sit with Jesus--to get filled and then go out and live our God-given purpose in Him. For, we were never designed to fill our lives from an empty cup, and when we run dry, it is our human nature to reach for the easy and temporary comforts of this world.
But, when we choose to live "filled"--and receive drink from Jesus' living water, we allow Him to quench our ever thirst and overflow into every part of our lives.
Creating a life pouring forth from the Living Well is found in Jesus Christ alone. Sitting in His presence, talking with Him and letting Him work through each of us--as our Healer, our Guide and our source of Light in the Darkness of the world.
May we make the time to come back to Him daily--the Living Well--Who alone, allows you to live well--through Him and in Him.
Follow Contributing Writer - Elizabeth Spenner
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