“GIVE ME TO DRINK”

From The Desk Of Rev. Joan Krempel

He had walked in the hot desert sun for hours from Judea toward Galilee, making a stopover in Shechem (Sychar) as he had known in the beginning of his journey that he must do. Everything he did was in response to the direction of the Father's will and on this particular occasion he had set out on an assignment that only he and the Father knew about. Had he not said that he MUST NEEDS go THROUGH Samaria? Had he not broken with Jewish tradition that would have taken him around Samaria instead of through it? Again we are reminded that God sees, hears and knows all things and those who have an ear to hear are often privy to receive some of those special assignments.

Jesus sat down at Jacob's well in the hottest hour of the day - high noon - and sent the disciples into the city to buy food. Not only were they all hungry, but he needed to get rid of them for a little while so he could be alone when the one he came to see arrived at the well. I can't help wondering if the disciples and the woman passed each other on their way and if so, did they notice her and her water jar and realize she was going to the well? They had left the Master there. Of course, such thoughts would quickly be dismissed for they knew a Jew did not acknowledge, salute or address a Samaritan.

You see, spiritual Judea had long rejected the Samaritans for several reasons. For starters, the Samaritans had intermarried with the Gentiles who lived among them, and for another, the Samaritans only accepted the five books of Moses as their gospel, rejecting the kings and the prophets. The Samaritans also believed that Mt. Gerizim was the seat of worship and not Jerusalem, for their fathers had worshipped in that mountain.

Traditions did not hinder Jesus. He never allowed himself to be distracted by anything that could block a spiritual opportunity. He looked instead at the larger and all-encompassing screen that revealed humanity in all of it's pain and sufferings. While it was true that he had come to bring salvation to the Jews first, all of humanity was in the overall plan. He had never ignored a heart's cry in the past and he was not going to ignore this one. Being God incarnate, Jesus was privy to every whispered prayer, knew the content of every heart and the condition of every soul. He even knew the circumstances that gave rise to the inner pain and weariness of every outcast.

As we read John's account in Chapter 4, and study it well, we are lifted to new heights of joy and thanksgiving for the Saviour's compassion and faithfulness. This woman had not sent for him, she did not even know that the Messiah was in the land. But she was looking for him, anticipating his coming, for later this day she would speak her faith to Jesus: "I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ; when he is come, he will tell us all things." She did not know it yet but this was her day. As was his own special custom, the Messiah had come to one who was looking for him. He always has...he always will...

She had come to draw water at high noon because there would be no one else there. She had experienced the sneers and slanders of the townspeople on numerous occasions and had determined that she could suffer the heat of the midday easier than she could suffer the rejection of her neighbors. This way she would not offend them with her presence and they would have no careless opportunity to offend her openly. We can imagine her anxiety when she saw a man sitting there this day, and a Jew at that. Trying to ignore him, she drew her water and Jesus said to her, "Give me to drink."

Was he really thirsty? You bet! But as she so quickly pointed out, he was a Jew and Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans so why was he asking her for a drink? More so, why would he address her to begin with? Graciously, he answered her: " If you knew the gift of God and who it is that saith to you 'Give me to drink', you would need only to ask and he would give you living water." In essence he was saying to her, " Give me a drink for my thirst and I will give you a river of life."

The controversy that followed revealed her lack of understanding. All she could grasp was the offer of living water. With such a gift she would never have to come to the well again. She did not understand that this gentle Jesus, who could have called an angel to minister to his thirst, had asked her to minister to him instead, not just because he was thirsty, but for her own sake. He had something precious to offer her but she must take her eyes off of her own need and see the need of another before she could receive and appreciate the gift. Such a gift as this was for sharing...

I am reminded of when Elijah approached the widow woman at Zarephath during the drought. She was picking up sticks to build a small fire. He had asked her to fetch him a drink of water. Remember, there was a drought, and the brook Cherith that Elijah had been drinking from had dried up. That meant that every brook and stream were gone. Wells were low if not dry, nevertheless, she laid aside her sticks and went to fetch a drink of water for Elijah. As she was going, he called to her, "Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand." This woman had just gathered two sticks of wood for a small fire over which she planned to bake two small cakes, one for herself and one for her son, and then they would lay down and die for there was no more food.

She heard Elijah's request for bread and she lifted up her voice with a mother's wail, telling him of her dilemma and plan but Elijah ignored her words and said to her, "Prepare me a little cake first, then prepare for you and your son." (Step out of your need woman - step out of yourself - a miracle is coming). Note that God had already told Elijah that he had arranged for the widow woman to sustain him through the drought. That meant food for all of them. But the woman did not know this, she only knew that Elijah was a prophet of God who had said to her, "Fear not." She did as she was told and the meal did not run out and the oil did not fail. Remember? God fed them for three years on a little bit of oil and a handful of meal.

The widow of Zarephath and the woman at the well both had a need. God sent Elijah to the widow and Jesus to the woman at the well. Unlike the widow of Zarephath, the woman at the well was an outcast, that is true, but she was no harlot as many have judged her to be. This woman was a victim. She was a victim of the culture of her day that allowed five separate husbands to divorce her, probably because she could not bear children. In her culture, a woman could not divorce her husband for any reason, but a husband could divorce his wife for any silly reason. Not one of her husands had loved her enough to stay with her whether she bore him children or not. Not one of them had the heart or the character of an Abraham or a Zechariah.

Selfishly and probably without remorse, they had one by one divorced her, cast her out, and left her without home, shelter or support. Apparently she had no family or, if she did, they too had apparently abandoned her, not wanting to be tainted by her reproach as a barren and fruitless woman. She must have been a beautiful woman to have attracted five successive husbands, each hoping he would be the one who would father an heir with her. If there had been children, or even one child, there would have been no divorce.

Can you imagine this merry-go-round of love - rejection - new love - another rejection - a new beginning and still another rejection, etc.? Each new hope and each new rejection playing games with her heart. Every married month a new hope, then a dread until dread once again became a reality. It was not uncommon for a man to banish a wife who did not bear him children. The man was then free to get on with his life, but for the woman it was a curse and a stigma that society would neither touch nor pity.

Can you imagine being told five different times by five different husbands, "You're no good to me, get out!" Can you imagine what that would do to your self-esteem, your confidence, your ability to trust people? With every dream shattered and every hope dashed, without respect, love or understanding, without acceptance or friends, where does one go and what does one do?

Very little is said of the current man in her life. Jesus simply confirmed that he was not her husband. Who was he? Could he have been a kind gentleman who had pity on her and gave her shelter in exchange for household chores? Or could he have been someone who had learned to love her dearly but was denied marriage to her because she was afraid to take that risk again? If so, could any of us blame her? My question is, if he really loved her, and was so willing to share her disgrace, why didn't he go to the well? If he really loved her, surely he would have wanted to spare her that pain. Perhaps she had asked herself that same question and that was why there was no marriage.

Needless to say, the lesson here will not be learned by speculating but by observing the ministry of the Saviour. Notice how gentle he is with her, how he encourages her to interact socially with him, and notice the easy but informative way he corrects her. He calls her "woman" because she is not yet a daughter. Perhaps before the day is over...

Jesus told her who he was just as the disciples were returning with the food. As they arrived she ran into the city, leaving her water jar on the well. Jesus had asked her for a drink but after spending only minutes with the Saviour she had left him the whole water jar. Jesus had bandaged her brokenness with gentleness, and now suddenly she was running through the streets being seen and even being heard. What? Facing all those people who hated her? Of course, Jesus had not asked her to do anything but fetch the man in her life. You see, he did not need to ask. Because he had told her all that she had done, she had recognized him as the Christ. She was on such a spiritual high she simply seized the moment and ran for it. Such moments are often presented without warning and if we too are listening, and paying attention even in our need, we can seize the moment as well.

 Those who had shunned her, condemned her and cursed her were now greeted with a radiant smile and the joyous news that the man called Christ was at the well. She was not yet saved but she was lifted up, her self-esteem liberated and her shame forgotten in the thrill of the moment. A new boldness she had never known before vanquished every shadow of fear as she bid them all to come to the well. Then, with hope springing up like a water spout, she knocked on every door and told every merchant, not wanting anyone to miss out. It is a reminder that faith with works is miracle food. The widow of Zarephath had found that out, and the woman at the well was about to...

 Remember it was the hottest part of the day. People avoided the direct sun and stayed in the coolness of their homes or in the shadows of the street. But a fresh disturbance has a way of stirring a little curiosity on an otherwise dull afternoon so they all came out to the well to see and to hear what the man called Christ had to say. It didn't take long...

Jesus was persuaded by the people of Sychar to stay so he and the disciples stayed two days to minister truth and deliverance. Although he had forbidden the disciples to minister there in the beginning (he wanted them to preach to the Jews first), he specifically sent them to Samaria later on. It was also to Samaria that the evangelist Philip would take the gospel. Jesus in his own teachings, had spoken well of the Samaritans in his parables of the Good Samaritan and the Ten Lepers, the only thankful one being a Samaritan.

At the end of this story the people of Sychar gratefully acknowledged the woman at the well. "Now we believe! Not because of what you said, but because we have heard him for ourselves." (They were saying, " Because you called and compelled us to come to the well to hear him, we now believe. We would never have believed you but now we have heard him for ourselves and we are blessed.")

The scriptures are silent as to followup, but I would like to believe that she never again went to the well at high noon...

Joan Krempel

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