I remember when God revealed to me that I was the woman at the well. I didn’t know how to feel and all these emotions crashed down on me at once. One moment I wanted to cry, the next it felt as if the air had gotten knocked out of my stomach. But, I always felt really odd whenever I read the story I would picture the woman at the well as someone around my age. But, the truth was, she already had five marriages and was currently working on her sixth. No way she could have only been twenty-three. And this is when I knew the reflection I saw in the woman at the well was my own.

A quick synopsis of the woman at the well:

So, Jesus was on his way to Galilee but had to pass through Samaria first. Because walking everywhere had to be very tiring, of course, Jesus needed a drink and what better place to get a drink than in Samaria, the location of Jacob’s water well. Interesting enough, Jesus had nothing to get water from the well with so he just sat there. No supernatural abilities used to get him a drink here because he had a lesson to share. A Samaritan woman eventually came to draw water and Jesus asked her for a drink. She probably looked around to make sure that Jesus, a Jew, was talking to her, a Samaritan. But there were no disciples or large crowd in attendance for this lesson so the woman figured that Jesus had to be talking to her. In what I imagine to be a confused voice she asked why would Jesus ask her for a drink knowing that Jews and Samaritans don’t talk, let alone men and women who were strangers. But of course, Jesus doesn’t care about the particulars of race or gender boundaries. So, He replies, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

Then she notices He doesn’t have anything to draw the water out the well with and questions if Jesus thinks He’s too good to drink out the well since He has the living water and all. But Jesus doesn’t really answer her question directly and instead tells her that He does have the living water and that if she were to take a drink, not only will she never thirst again, but have everlasting life. She, of course, is all for not ever having to come to the well again, but it was deeper than that. Before Jesus goes any further He asks her to get her husband and after stating she doesn’t have one, Jesus corrects her restating, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” If one of his disciples were there I presume they would have said, “Booyah!”

Okay, so then the woman says to Jesus that He’s obviously a prophet, probably trying to brush him off, acting her best to sound unimpressed. But, there was something shifting in her that could only come from the saving grace radiating off Him. But now that she knows Jesus has supernatural knowledge, she poses a question about where is the proper place to worship, either at a particular mountain like her ancestors or in Jerusalem like the Jews. But, Jesus doing the Jesus thing again, doesn’t answer her question straightaway, but instead lets her know that the time has come, “When what you’re called [Samaritan or Jew] will not matter, and where you go to worship will not matter.” Jesus proceeds to say that what matters most is true worship which can happen anywhere, by anyone who will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (physically, mentally, emotionally).

The woman, still skeptical, says to the Messiah, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus looks at her with the all-knowing eyes and says,  “I am He. You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further.” Booyah, again!! If I was the woman at the well, I would have lost it or maybe not, I’m not exactly sure. I may have been freaking out that I was standing face to face with God in the flesh. God-THE FATHER OF THE UNIVERSE, HEAVEN AND EARTH or I may still be giving Him the side-eye like nope, not believing you. However, the feeling and faith that she must have gotten from those few minutes with Him was all she needed to believe that Jesus is exactly who He says He is – the Messiah, her savior, my savior, and your savior. The woman was so amazed and grateful that she did what anyone saved by grace should do, leave their water pot and go and tell people about Jesus. These people she told were apprehensive, but went and saw Jesus for themselves and believed because of her testimony and His word. This woman brought souls to Christ because she wasn’t ashamed of her testimony and now who she is in Christ. She knew the Messiah when He was right in front of her.

I’m not exactly running to the hills. But, I am in love with Jesus and realize that He’s my source and the center of my world, not man. Jesus fills the holes in my heart that are only sized for Him. I am not sure what character(s) in the Bible you feel connected to, but I urge you to take some time and meditate on why certain characters stand out so vividly, why some books or chapters in the Bible you find yourself drawn to. The Bible is our life guide, so the next time your spirit flutters at the mention of a Biblical character, no matter how small or big their role is in scripture, dig-in and learn what God is trying to teach you.

Seven-Min. Devotionals