THIS happened two thousand years ago when a Man rested at a well. A woman walked wearily to the same well outside the city. Her body ached and her mind cried out for peace. Her man had taunted her again this morning: “Five husbands woman and you want me to be the sixth? Ha, ha, ha!” She had loved each and every one of the five, but when she turned to them for something deeper than what they gave, they left frightened.
She saw the man at the well. She had seen enough men to be curious any more. Nor was she afraid of them. “Woman, may I have some water?” he asked. She slowly lifted her eyes to see the man. “God has a wonderful gift for you,” he said and she saw him smile and felt a strange sense of security. “If you only knew who I was, you would be asking me for living water to drink”
“Without a rope or bucket?” she asked playfully. “This is quite a deep well you know? And let me tell you there’s very few wells that can get you better water than what’s down there.” “Yes,” said the man, “But this water will make you thirsty all over again, but the water I give is one in which you won’t thirst any longer.” “Give me that water,” she cried, staring at him and knowing he was no ordinary man. “Call your husband,” said the stranger suddenly. “I don’t have one,” she said sadly.
The stranger sat by her side at the well. “True,” he said as she felt a strange peace coming over her, “You have had five husbands but are not married to the one you are living with..” “You are God? ” the woman whispered as she felt His love. She left her pots at the well and ran back to her man, who saw the look in her eyes, “You have met another man?” he asked.
“Yes,” she whispered triumphantly. “A man who has filled me with a living water: A perpetual spring within me. I will not be afraid any longer even if you leave me. I know I am loved by one far greater than you or all my husband’s put together. A God who was even willing to come and sit next to a used, loose woman and fill her with a security none of you could give!”
The woman walked back to the well with the whole village following. There were many like her, used, abused, broken, forlorn and lonely. They began feeling a peace and happiness they’d never felt before. And now the same Jesus, the Man at the well, turns and stretches out His hands to others like her..!
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