Fully Satisfied: John 4 Women at the Well

Everywhere we turn we seem to be slammed with different things that promise to bring satisfaction and fulfillment. From the commercials that tell us to buy their products to the exotic and sensual relationships we see in movies. All of these things train our mind to consistently look to the next new thing to bring purpose, pleasure and fulfillment to our lives. The problem with all of that is it simply doesn't work. No product will keep us young, no marriage will be void of hurt, no new trinket will deliver what it promises.

This is precisely what we see in the account of Jesus and the Woman at the well. Here we see a woman who is practically an outcast. Her community believes her to be dirty and defiled. Besides that, she is a Samaritan who most Jews believed to be unlovable by God. In an effort to satisfy her soul, she was giving her body away to men hoping that it would fill the deep void in her heart. Five times she had been married and the man she was currently living with was not her husband. Yet, Christ in all his grace pursues this woman. He reveals her sin to her and invites her to drink from a fountain of water that will never run dry. Just like the women at the well, Jesus pursues us. At times we may feel like an outcast, dirty, shameful and unworthy. Truth is; that is exactly what we are because that is what our sin makes us before a Holy God. However, on the cross we see Jesus Christ laying down his life for those exact people. And when we believe the message of salvation, Christ takes what was once dirty and defiled and washes it clean as snow.

The last thing that we see this women do is leave Jesus and run into her community and tell everyone. A woman who minutes ago was an outcast is now a catalyst in seeing her entire region introduced to Jesus. Most of us have had countless moments where we have encountered Jesus in a similar way. Yet, seeing this transformed women and her zeal for the Lord, should challenge us to live with a similar passion.