Give Me a Drink/Part Three

 

Give Me Drink/Part Three

The “Red-Letter Words” of Jesus

Day 41

So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there, Jesus therefore being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” John 4:5-7 (NKJV)

Why didn’t Jesus get his own drink? I believe the answer to that question is found in the practical and the spiritual.

The above verses show us that, in the practical sense, Jesus was human. His physical limitations caused Him to be tired and thirsty. He needed water but had no way to get it on His own. Jacob’s Well, approximately one hundred feet deep, didn’t have a bucket or clay pot to lower by a rope into the well. The woman had the container needed to draw the water.

The word “drink” here is a present tense, imperative verb. Imperative signifies a command; although, it doesn’t mean the command was given harshly. It would’ve been out of character for Jesus to demand what He wanted from her. He simply stated his desire for water.

There’s also a spiritual aspect to the story when Jesus said, “Give Me a drink.” Jesus recognized a soul ripe for harvest. He desired to start a conversation with the Samaritan woman so He could offer her what her spirit longed for – living water (or spiritual life). He started with a practical need to draw her to the deeper matters of the soul (which we’ll look at in the next couple of devotions).

In this chapter of John, we see two examples of evangelism: 1) Jesus persistently found those who were lost and needed salvation, including this woman at the well. 2) Once she understood Jesus offered her spiritual life, her first reaction was to share the good news with the residents of Sychar. The entire town believed Jesus was the Messiah because of her testimony.

In the practical aspect of my day, is my spiritual antenna tuned to those who are lost and thirsting for God? Is yours?

Father, just like with the Samaritan woman, Jesus’ desire has always been to seek and save the lost. That’s why He hung with the outcasts and the dregs of society. He revealed to them their thirst for the heavenly things of His Father. Thank you for seeking me out and saving me too. In turn, may I seek those who are desperate for more than what this world has to offer. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/john4

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/john4

http://www.biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john4