A Perpetual Spring

John tells the story in his gospel about how Jesus sits down by a well, too weary to draw water from it, even though he greatly desires a drink. At noon, a Samaritan woman comes to the well. Jesus asks her for water to quench his dry thirst. The woman is very surprised because she is a Samaritan, and Jews in those days despise Samaritans, much like the European Americans despised the African Americans in the past. Even though Jesus is exhausted and dehydrated, His loving and unprejudiced heart reaches out to her and He tells her about how she can obtain eternal life and joy everlasting.

John does not say whether Jesus' physical need for water was ever met at the well. The Samaritan's spiritual need was greater than His own.

"Eventually He came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, 'Please give me a drink.' He was alone at the time because His disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.

"The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, 'You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?'

"Jesus replied, 'If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.'

"'But sir, You don't have a rope or a bucket.' she said, 'and this is a very deep well. Where would You get this living water? And besides, are You greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?'

"Jesus replied, 'People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.''

"'Please, sir,' the woman said, 'give me some of that water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I won't have to come here to haul water.'"

John 4:5-15

The things of this world — money, cars, clothes, houses, fame, popularity, beauty, fulfilment of lustful desires, and prestigious careers — will never last or satisfy completely. But God's love and goodness will last for eternity. We will always be thirsty again when we seek satisfaction from worldly things. However, when we seek after the things of God, our joy is eternal. Our thirst is quenched forevermore!