Why Her?

I have often wondered, "Why her?" when reading John 4. Why did Jesus specifically meet her? What is the significance of "her"? Then, I realized, she is me. She is all of us. Have you ever felt "dirty" or "less than worthy"? I think we all have at some point in life. You see, this woman came to the well in the heat of the day to draw water. This is significant because all of the other women came to draw water early in the morning or late in the evening once it cooled off. This woman was an outcast, a disgrace, if you will. She was not welcome to join the other women. Her reputation preceded her with five husbands and now her current "man" was not even her husband. Did you know that in these times a woman could not file for divorce, but a man could? FIVE men chose to divorce her. She was publicly shamed and humiliated FIVE times. Can you imagine? She carried the weight of that shame everyday. She felt unworthy. Her sins were blast around town for everyone to see and gossip about. What if every sin you committed was plastered on your facebook wall for everyone to see and read about? Would your reputation suffer? Mine would. We all relate to her in some way. Our sins may differ, but we are all sinners.

When I think of the well, I think of God's redemption. The woman came to the well to draw water, but instead she drew upon God's redeeming love. She drew upon His mercy, His forgiveness, and His truth. She went to the well for water and came back redeemed! She learned of salvation and worship in truth and in Spirit. What if every time we were down on ourselves and weighted in sin, we went to the well of God? When we are weary and beat down over our transgeressions, why not run to the Father who has an overflowing well of love, mercy, and forgiveness? God will meet you where you fall. Just run to Him. Jesus met the woman at the well and she left redeemed. Carry your burdens and shame to the feet of Christ, lay them down, and drink from His well. He is the living water and He will give you eternal life. All you have to do is drink. Draw on the Lord when you are weary and let him replenish you.

His redemption is for everyone. The well is for everyone. Eternal life is for everyone. All you have to do is lay it down and drink from the well. It is amazing that a woman who was publically shamed is the woman Jesus chose to share this message with because He knew over 2,000 years later we would still need reminding that no matter how far we've ran, the things we have done, and the mistakes we have made make us any less worthy for His love and redeeming grace. We are worthy of Jesus' love and forgiveness. We are daughters of the one true King! There is nothing so shameful that can remove our princess status. So, my dear sisters, come to the well, drink the water of Christ, and gain eternal life. Live your life in freedom from the shame of your past transgressions. You are made new and free from the bondage of your old life. You are now clean and pure just like the water in that well. Thank you Jesus for meeting the woman at the well because I am she and she is me.

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

21 “Woman,”Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”