One of the most rewarding jobs I ever had was working as a Summer Camp Counselor at a YMCA Day Camp. Following my first year of college, I wanted to do something fun and meaningful. One of my friends from church, Chrissy, also applied and got hired. Everyone week, counselors were paired up with different staff members. Twice that summer, Chrissy and I had time to work together and talk. At this point in life, she was like the Samaritan woman, thirsting for something more in life.
The Samaritan woman said to Him, How is it that [a]You, being a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan [and a] woman, for a drink?—For the Jews have nothing to do with the Samaritans—10 Jesus answered her, If you had only known and had recognized God’s gift and Who this is that is saying to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him [instead] and He would have given you living water. 11 She said to Him, Sir, You have nothing to draw with [no drawing bucket] and the well is deep; how then can You provide living water? [Where do You get Your living water?] 12 Are You greater than and superior to our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well and who used to drink from it himself, and his sons and his cattle also? 13 Jesus answered her, All who drink of this water will be thirsty again. 14 But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life, John 4:9-14.
I just wish I was more prepared to give an answer for the hope that I had in life, 1 Peter 3:15-16. While we reminisced about running cross country in high school, simply attending a Roman Catholic wasn’t enough. Chrissy longed for a spiritual retreat, going away to contemplate the spiritual meaning of life. Unfortunately, I wasn’t Jesus and failed miserably at pointing Chrissy toward the living water that Jesus provides in today’s featured passage.
The woman said to Him, Sir, give me this water, so that I may never get thirsty nor have to come [continually all the way] here to draw. 16 At this, Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband and come back here. 17 The woman answered, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You have spoken truly in saying, I have no husband. 18 For you have had five husbands, and the man you are now living with is not your husband. In this you have spoken truly. 19 The woman said to Him, Sir, I see and understand that You are a prophet, John 4:15-19.
Although Chrissy and I did attend the University of Delaware together, our last week at camp was the last time I spoke with her. On this occasion, I only got one chance to share my faith with Chrissy. In the weeks and months that followed, I was drawn to John 4, but have never gotten the opportunity to point Chrissy toward Jesus. In view of my failure, the next time you talk with someone thirsting for living water that lasts, tell this individual about the Samaritan woman in John 4 who leads her entire family into a personal relationship with Jesus at end of this chapter.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 