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We don't know her name or age. But her conversation with the Lord is his longest one-on-one chat recorded in Scripture. Reason enough to give our sister from Samaria a fresh look.

It was high noon on a hot day. Jesus, tired from traveling, chose a sensible rest stop—Jacob's well outside the town of Sychar—while waiting for his disciples to go into town for food. When our unnamed woman appeared with clay jar in hand, Jesus made a simple request: "Will you give me a drink?" (John 4:7).

Uh-oh. (1) Jews weren't supposed to speak to Samaritans. (2) Men weren't permitted to address women without their husbands present. And (3) rabbis had no business speaking to shady ladies such as this one. Jesus was willing to toss out the rules, but our woman at the well wasn't. "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman," she reminded him. "How can you ask me for a drink?" (John 4:9).

She focused on the law; Jesus focused on grace.

An Offer She Couldn't Refuse

He began, "If you knew the gift of God … " (John 4:10). If. A tantalizing invitation. And gift. A truly irresistible offering. Especially "the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:15).

Instead of insisting she pour him a drink, the Lord offered her "living water" (John 4:10). Water from the ground was common, but living water? Now he had her attention.

This polite but gutsy woman pointed out the obvious: "You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?" (John 4:11). Her natural curiosity prompted her to ask questions, as seekers do today. Such queries are no cause for nervousness. Jesus knows how to handle doubt and disbelief.

To quench her spiritual thirst, the Lord first confessed the truth about plain H2O: "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again" (John 4:13). Then Jesus made a bold promise: "Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst" (John 4:14). In one sentence he shifted from everyday life to everlasting life.

Was our girl ready for that leap of faith? Not quite. She wanted whatever he was offering, but only so she could avoid returning to the well for water. If we're honest, we get this motivation. Eager to satisfy our physical desires, we overlook our spiritual needs.

Time for an intervention.

Speaking the Truth in Love

Jesus told her, "Go, call your husband and come back" (John 4:16). Not an odd request, since women couldn't converse alone with a man in a public place. But Jesus' request was more about uncovering truth than about following society's rules.

When she confessed, "I have no husband" (John 4:17), Jesus affirmed her answer, then gently exposed her sin: "The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband" (John 4:18).

Five marriages didn't make her a sinner. Due to warfare, famine, disease, and injury, men in those days dropped like flies. A widow became either a beggar, a prostitute, or another man's wife. Each time, this Samaritan woman had chosen the best option.

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Average User Rating: 

I am honored and grateful to have found this article. Wonderful job! This is such a simple, yet profound story. I teach my children that they are destined for greatness, but it depends on how they answer the call. I love this passage of scripture because many of my children at church have mothers who were lost and bound by prostitution and drugs; many at a young age. They are blessed to have gotten their children back, because many were told they would NEVER see their kids again! But, God is able to do all things, amen. Thankfully, He tries the heart and judges righteously! The testimony of this Samaritan woman is the greatest example of many people's conversion. I thank God I ran across this webpage! I don't believe in coinsidences; this is divine purpose! God is going to bless you in an extraordinary way. I feel an anointing coming through that I can only assume is coming from the re-telling of this story. I must read more from you. May the Lord continue to bless and keep you.

The article gives readers much less than the correct change of a fully and beautifully documented case of baptism by Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit, i.e., "gift of God" or "living water" clearly observable in the effect of the two works of conviction of sin ("living with a man outside of marriage"); and making known the secret identity of Jesus ("Messiah") with unmistakable power to transform a rejected sinner's life to a bold and accepted witness in public (John 16: 8-15)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only the holy spirit can convict us deeply. Praise God and thank God everyday.

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