Old Water ... Living Water

 Old Water ... Living Water

As you prepare to go to Sunday Service; hear the Word spoken through your Pastor, Priest or Minister. Listen for the Word, see the Word, let the Word be in you, and leave to tell of the Word.

Pause for a moment to reflect with me in preparation.

This is the Gospel for the Third Sunday in Lent...  

Below is a link to John 4:5-30, 39-42

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204%3A5-30%2CJohn%204%3A39-42&version=ESV

The Gospel for this Sunday causes me to pause and think of a phrase that my Grand-daughter, Kaiya, would often say while we were travelling. She would see a pond or any body of water that was stagnant, and Kaiya would call out, "Look! Old water!"

Jesus was travelling as well in this passage. He was tired, thirsty and hungry. The disciples had moved on into a nearby town to look for food. Jesus paused at a well, thirsty and tired. This was said to be Jacob's Well. By my grand-daughter Kaiya's standards, this would make it "old" water... in more ways than one I suppose. 

A woman happened to be present at this well, at a time of day that was unusual for her to be there. But, in any case, there she was. So, Jesus requests a drink. He didn't have a way to get the water for himself, since he had no bucket or jar.

And then it seems to happen, the same way, it seems to happen with Jesus. Jesus turns a routine encounter upside down and sideways. Every time I come into direct contact with Jesus, or most anyone else comes into an encounter with Jesus, he turns it all sideways.

Here is Jesus asking a woman for a drink, asking for her to serve him, to help him out, to quench his thirst... yet it ends in Jesus serving the most fabulous drink of water to the woman, and to you and me as well, as we witness this passage of scripture

The woman offers "old" water to Jesus and Jesus serves "Living" water to the woman. Living water that is available for me and you as well as the woman at the well. This Living water that Jesus offers is not stagnant "old" water, Jesus offers ever flowing "Living" water.

Living water that flows from here and now into eternity. Living water that gives life to the woman at the well, and to all creation. Jesus gives Living water, running, sparkling, Living water. 

Jesus provides "Living" water as a gift from God. No, bucket needed for this "Living" water. No cup necessary... it's free "Living" water, given for you and for all people, filled with Spirit and Truth. This "Living" water comes from God, the fountain of "Living" water.  The "Living" water Jesus has to give is himself, the Messiah, the I AM of "Living" water. 

This moment at the well, for the woman, and for me, is a moment of contact with God. It's a faith moment that comes to the woman, to me, and to you as a gift from God. 

We slipped into the scene of the well, like the woman, at an odd time of day. I slipped into the scene of the well, hoping to avoid contact with the people I have sinned against and to remain hidden in secret. Who do I meet? Jesus! I surely didn't ask for that meeting!

At this well, with Jesus present, I squirm uncomfortably. I know I'm a sinner. I know that I have failed God in word and deed. I want to hide. But nooooo! I can't hide here at this well of "old" water. I can't hide, because Jesus comes to me, thirsty, so he says... "I thirst!" Like another time in Jesus life when he thirsts; I'm guilty of offering Jesus some nasty wine, or in this case some "old" water.

How does Jesus respond to my nasty "old" water, my offering of sour wine? Jesus turns it all upside down and sideways and offers me "Living" water. Jesus offers me himself. Jesus gives me the eternal gift of life. Jesus gives me faith.

It's not me seeking God that counts --- It's all about God seeking me. When I come to the well to benefit my condition, Jesus comes to the well to meet people he believes in, people he loves, people that he will give his Spirit to in order that all of us can be in communion with God, face to face. Jesus comes to the well and gives the Holy Spirit.

The results? Jesus encounter with the woman at the well, laid the groundwork for the Gospel, the Good News, the Messiah to be received by Samaritans and all the people of the world as well.

No wonder the woman left her jar at the well. She had met the Messiah, Living Water, Creator of all, Savior of the World. This woman left in a hurry to go back to the very people she may have been avoiding to witness, to tell, to yell it out. I have seen the Messiah!

Witness! Don't argue about Christianity... there is no need for this. There is no time for this. Like I heard from an old Facebook post said by a women, "Ain't nobody got time for dat!"

Now I have met Jesus at the well of "old" water. Jesus turned it all upside down and sideways, and met me at the Baptismal font to give me Himself, The Holy Spirt, The Father and some awesome, wonderful, clean and everlasting, Living Water!

Yes, Kaiya, Jesus can turn that "old" water into Living water... for me... for you... and for all the world.

Thanks be to God... today... tomorrow... and forever. 

So... I have one question. Did Jesus ever get his drink from the well?