John 4:13-17: a reflection

13Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, 14but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” 15The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I don’t get thirsty, neither come all the way here to draw.” 16Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17The woman answered, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You said well, ‘I have no husband,’

At the well, Jesus offers the Samaritan woman something no ordinary water could give. Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, he says of the well she had come to draw from; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. The world's wells satisfy for a while, then leave us thirsty again; but Christ offers a living water that satisfies the deepest thirst, an inner spring welling up to eternal life. He offers to meet a thirst that the world's wells can never finally quench.

Notice the contrast Jesus draws: the water that leaves us thirsty again, and the living water that satisfies. The woman had come to a well whose water, however good, would leave her thirsty again, as all the world's wells do; we drink, and are satisfied for a while, and thirst again. But Christ offers a different water, one that satisfies the deepest thirst, becoming an inner spring welling up to eternal life. The thirst he meets is not the body's, but the soul's, the deep thirst that the world's wells, its pleasures and possessions and achievements, can never finally quench. Christ offers to satisfy that thirst with a living water only he can give.

That is worth taking to heart, for Christ offers to satisfy the deep thirst of our souls that the world's wells cannot quench. We try to satisfy our deepest thirst at the world's wells, its pleasures, possessions, achievements, and find that they leave us thirsty again, as the well-water did; but Christ offers a living water that satisfies the soul's deep thirst, welling up to eternal life. The world's wells cannot finally quench that thirst; only Christ can. Do not try to satisfy the deep thirst of your soul at the world's wells, which leave you thirsty again; come to Christ for the living water that satisfies and wells up to eternal life. Come to Christ for the living water that satisfies the deep thirst of your soul, rather than returning again and again to the world's wells that leave you thirsty, as he offered the woman water that would become a spring welling up to eternal life; for the world's wells cannot finally quench our deepest thirst, but Christ gives a living water that satisfies the soul and wells up to eternal life.

Lord Jesus, at the well, you offer the Samaritan woman something no ordinary water could give. Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again, you say of the well she had come to draw from; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. The world's wells satisfy for a while, then leave us thirsty again; but you offer a living water that satisfies the deepest thirst, an inner spring welling up to eternal life. Show me the contrast you draw: the water that leaves us thirsty again, and the living water that satisfies. The woman had come to a well whose water would leave her thirsty again, as all the world's wells do. But you offer a different water, one that satisfies the deepest thirst, becoming an inner spring welling up to eternal life. The thirst you meet is not the body's, but the soul's, the deep thirst that the world's wells can never finally quench. Take that to my heart, for you offer to satisfy the deep thirst of my soul that the world's wells cannot quench. I try to satisfy my deepest thirst at the world's wells, its pleasures, possessions, achievements, and find that they leave me thirsty again; but you offer a living water that satisfies the soul's deep thirst. Keep me from trying to satisfy the deep thirst of my soul at the world's wells, which leave me thirsty again; help me come to you, Lord, for the living water that satisfies and wells up to eternal life.