Read: John 4:5-15
The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. (v. 14)
One of my favorite Bible stories is that of Hagar, an oppressed Egyptian woman who ran away from her master only to encounter God in the desert. God provided a well for Hagar to drink from, and she named him “the God who sees me” (Gen. 16:13 NIV). Hagar’s story has comforted me in my own experiences of feeling cast aside and unseen. In my most lonely and painful moments, God sees me and cares for me.
In today’s encounter, Jesus meets with a marginalized Samaritan woman by a well, forever changing her life with the knowledge that she is seen and known by God. It strikes me that this is another desperate woman who encounters God by a well in a dry and thirsty land; in her desperation, the Samaritan woman is quick to say yes to the living water that Jesus offers. Could it be that our own thirst and desperation lead us to the ultimate source of living water?
God sees those who hunger and thirst after him, and he fills them with living water “welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14), which reminds us that a flourishing life in God’s kingdom is available to us here and now. We are called to become fountains of living water that others may drink from—flourishing fountains that flow with the waters of eternal life.
As you pray, invite Jesus to fill you to overflowing with living water, knowing that he sees you and loves you.
Katelyn J. Dixon is a contemplative writer, speaker, and poet living in the Seattle area. In her free time, Katelyn enjoys cooking, photography, and exploring the enchanting Pacific Northwest with her husband, Drew, while partnering with him in life and ministry.
