Rivers of Living Water – Here is Living Water

Michal

Michal left her house to fill water. Michal was a good-looking woman, but one who had gone through a lot of problems in her life. A number of men had married her for her good looks and then separated. She had not been able to get along with them. She did not have any children. Now, she was living with another friend. She had got fed up of marriage, she was only living with him. Even David, the man she was living with, was not happy to settle down, they had decided just to live together and consider marriage later. In this way, she was continuing. She used to go to work and on holidays, she stayed at home. She had felt a great sense of need, but did not know what to do. She wanted companionship and have a good relationship with people. She would like people to be friends with her and she should be friends with them and enjoy people’s company. She wanted to have a household like the other women of her age who were married and had children. But, instead, she was despised and complained against, the whole village despised her. They would forbid their children from speaking to her and question their husbands/brothers if they found them even speaking to her calling her a loose woman. Even when she used to go to collect water from the well, they used to push her aside telling her, “Stand aside, let us all take the water and then you take. (We are all responsible people with families, let us finish first.)” She did not feel like fighting, she just said that I will go at a time when nobody will be there. In this situation, she went to the well to collect water in the afternoon at a time when nobody would be there. They would be busy preparing lunch or doing other work.

There was a man sitting there and he asked her, “Please give me some water.” He was a Jew, but he was speaking nicely to her unlike the way other people treated her. She curiously asked him, “How can you being a man and a Jew speak to a Samaritan woman asking for water?”

Michal lived in a village called Sychar in the land of Samaria, which is now part of Israel. She was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were not like the Jews, they followed idols, whereas the Jews worshiped at the Temple and offered sacrifices there. Also the Samaritans and the Jews did not have a good relationship and even used to have public clashes. The Jews despised them.

The man replied to her, (look at the reply): “If you had known who was speaking to you, you would be asking him for God’s Gift of Living Water!” The meaning of Living Water is a full and good life. It also signifies the Holy Spirit who imparts this life. And she is thinking, “Yes, I am really thirsty and in much difficulty. If God really gives me a Gift of Living Water, then I definitely want it. My life will change!” So she asked him, “Sir, the well is deep! How will you draw this water and give it to me?” And he told her, “The water that I give you will be a spring. You don’t have to go putting your pot inside, trying to get water from the bottom way down, but it will be a spring which will spring up within you and your thirst will be satisfied.” Eagerly, Michal asked, “Sir, give me this water, I need it.” Then he said to her, “Call your husband.”

She is crying and thinking, “How can I tell this man what has happened to me?” So she told him, “I don’t have a husband.” And the man told her, “Yes, what you have spoken is true. You have been married five times and the man you are living with is also not your husband! This you have spoken truly.” And then, Michal got bewildered, “What! This man is a prophet, he knows about me” and decided to divert the topic. So she told him, “Sir, now I recognise that you are a prophet. I want to ask, you Jews say that we must worship only at the Temple, whereas our forefathers have taught us to worship on this mountain and offer sacrifices on this mountain.” Then, he told her, “Woman, I want to tell you,”(and he was speaking very gently)”the time will come when, neither at the Temple, nor on this mountain, will people be worshiping God! God is Spirit and those who worship Him, should do it in spirit and in truth (in reality). He wants people who come to Him as they are to worship Him.”

Michal replied, “I know the Messiah is coming, He will show us all things.” Then the man replied, “Yes, I am the Messiah.” This really was Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Messiah. He has come to show Israel, Samaria and the whole world, the Real-True Worship of the Father and God and the way of salvation from sin, death, bondage & misery and give people a new relationship of Child of God and Eternal Life. Michal had done one good thing, that is she acknowledged her true state (facing up to her need and not excusing herself) and also the fact that she had no husband – a person who was not able to get along with others. She also knew that she needed help, so that she can get along with people and enjoy daily life.

And so the conversation continued, as Jesus showed her the way to a new life. From a life of always asking, seeking and demanding, you will be a person who gives, lends and helps and become a blessing to your people. He told her about true worship, sin, repentance, forgiveness, the Holy Spirit and the new abundant blessed way of life and Michal got happier and happier. “Yes, this is what I need, I am getting it today! I have met the Messiah!” Jesus assured her, “I am the one who has come to help everybody-to save everybody from death and bring them out of their misery and the old sinful life and give you a new life-an abundant life full of blessing. Instead of asking-asking, give me this, give me that, you will be in a place where you give-and give-and give. All your sins will be forgiven, you will not be condemned. You will be giving Kindness, you will be giving Patience and you will be a Blessing to the whole village. And so, she is so happy that she leaves the water pot there and goes to the village and calls people, “Come and see this Man, He has given me the Good News, I can be a blessing, I can be a New Person.” And she stirred up the whole village and they came to Him, let us see this, maybe she has something, she is so excited, they leave their home and work. She was telling them, “He told me all that I did and He gave me Hope for the future! I can have a blessed happy life. We can all have a good life. Come and see Him. I think He is the Messiah” and they all came to see Him.

And after seeing Him and speaking to Him, they all told her, “We came because you came excitedly telling us about the Messiah. But, now, after meeting Him ourselves and listening to Him, we believe that He really is the Messiah who is to come and who will save everyone and show the Good Way of God and they persuaded Him to stay in the village. He stayed two days and went.

So, here is a person who knows her need and acknowledges it. She does not try to defend or excuse herself, but says that I am the person in need. I need forgiveness, I need salvation, I need to change, I need to live better. And, Jesus blesses her.

She decides to settle down with David whom she loves and who loves her also.  She knows that it is God’s Kindness that He is giving her a husband and she is thankful.  She understands that we all have faults and need to take it in our stride when we feel that someone does not care for me-because I also have blind spots and faults that others have to handle.  When I am told that there is something wrong with me or the way I behaved, I will apologise and seek to change.

God’s Law prescribes death for all sinners- a judgement we richly deserve.  But, Jesus has borne the penalty for us on the cross.  So those who accept Him and believe in Him are forgiven and become the children of God – a brother/sister of Jesus Christ (Yes, that is why we call those who believe in Jesus as our brother/sister-it is the best title a person can have).

If you have not yet committed yourself to the Lord Jesus, do it now. Just kneel and tell Him (that is the meaning of prayer),

“Jesus I confess that I have sinned and thank you that you died and paid the penalty for my sins on the cross. Please forgive all my sins and cleanse me with the blood You shed for me. Now I want to turn away from that old sinful way of life and follow you doing the things that please you. Please come into my life as Saviour and Lord. Thank you for the privilege of becoming a child of God as I receive you as my Saviour and Lord. Give me your Holy Spirit. Make me enjoy the new life you want to give to me. Amen*”

*AMEN (which means, it shall be so).

Jesus will immediately forgive you however big and great your sins may be and come into your life as Saviour and Lord and you will be a child of God. May the Lord help you enjoy your new life and carry out His plan and purpose for you which is always for the very best. Commit your life to someone who would direct it a hundred times better than you ever could.

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Seth Bhagwandas

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