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On Sunday we continued our journey through the Gospel of John (THE FACE OF GOD). We found ourselves at THE WELL in John 4.

This woman was drawing water from a deep well in the heat of the day as Jesus enters the scene. He knows how this well symbolizes her personally misery. She is an outcast in society, having sought the affection of five men and found no rest for her soul. She was thirsty for love, and Jesus came to satisfy her with a new hunger and thirst for righteousness.

We are just like this woman, in that we turn to a whole list of things to fill the needs in our hearts, only to be disappointed every time. The more we turn to these God-replacements, the longer the list gets. For this lady it was one man who failed her, and another, and the cycle was repeated over and over (five men in all). For teen boys the list can be all our video games, and for girls it can tend to be the attention of boys.

The list gets longer and longer … we move from one thing to the next … until we stop at the place of our misery and wait for Jesus there.

Only in waiting will we find Him there; He longs to satisfy us.

Notice how Jesus offered her grace and a new start at the well. He came to rescue her from her co-dependency on horrible God-substitutes. He met her in her place of misery and became her Savior. When we have met Jesus in our place of misery (not just once, but every day) — when we’re anxious, confused, angry, tired, bored, rebellious, scared, or forgotten — we now have a story of how Christ has been enough for us. Only then can we lead others to Him. He has met us there and is changing our hearts. As long as we pretend everything is fine and turn to our secret list of sins, we will see no life change, and continually come up thirsty. Jesus offered this woman “living water” which will never run dry. She will never thirst again. As you and I turn to Christ every day, we find this same Living Water able to satisfy our depends longings and hurts.

Wait for Him at the well; He will find you there. Drink of His living water ’til you’re full.

Discussion questions:

1. When has Jesus met you in your place of misery? What happened?
2. To what things, places, or people do you tend to turn when you are anxious, bored, scared, or feel forgotten? How are those empty God-substitutes for you?