“Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:13-14 NIV)
When Jesus speaks to us, how do we respond? Are we like the Samaritan woman at the well described in John, chapter 4? Do we question his motives? Are we skeptical about his assurances?
My parents live in India. A few feet from their home, they have an old-fashioned water well with a pulley and a bucket. They also have a motor attached to this well that pumps water for their household needs. When I visit them, one of my favorite activities is to draw water from this well. Maybe it is the novelty of it; maybe I like the idea of being able to take care of our water needs even if the electricity goes off. My parents have a neighbor woman who comes to draw water from their well. Her own well runs dry frequently, so she walks over with a few empty buckets, draws water manually from my parents’ well, and carries it back to her house. Understandably, she is not as enamored by this activity as I am.
Every day, we struggle to keep up, to have enough. Jesus offers sustainable living, yet we are reluctant to stop striving. Some of us like to hang on to the idea that we can take care of ourselves. Others, who have experienced numerous disappointments, are afraid to put their trust in anyone or anything else. Thus, we are hesitant to accept what God is offering: perpetual sustenance, enduring satisfaction, lasting peace.
Lord, help us to realize that we cannot sustain ourselves or our loved ones through our striving. May we trust you and rely on you completely.
(continued in the next post)
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