| It was the sixth hour of the day, midday, when the | | | | said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking |
| sun was its hottest. The walk from the village was | | | | with her?" |
| fine this morning with a light breeze. I was sorrowful | | | | I bowed and excused myself and ran back to the |
| as my partner did not have much work these days | | | | village. As I entered the village I began to shout for |
| and my children were not willing to support me | | | | people to come and listen to me. The elders of the |
| anymore. The weight of the world was upon me, | | | | village soon came and I told them about the living |
| reality in Samaria, a women that had been with many | | | | water He promised and my heart burst with joy as I |
| husbands, now dead, and now living with a man she | | | | explained to them how he knew about my past and |
| was not married to. | | | | my number of husbands. I ended with telling them |
| I always went by myself to the well and I went | | | | that not only did he admit that he was a prophet but |
| when nobody was around to criticize me or to give | | | | claimed to be the Messiah. |
| me un-approving glances. There was no social | | | | This caused a quite a stir in the men of the village |
| security in those days or single mother pensions. | | | | and they went out to meet the prophet. They had |
| As I approached the well that Jacob built in years | | | | heard from me, now it was time to establish the |
| gone by there was a man there. He was sitting on | | | | truth and I was not needed anymore. I went with |
| the side of the well and it looked like he was praying. | | | | them and as the man spoke to them he expressed |
| I saw by his robe that he was a Jew and I | | | | an interest at staying at my partner's house and |
| wondered what he was doing at the well by himself. | | | | asking the men of the village to put up his disciples in |
| I approached and went about my business of | | | | the rest of the village. |
| drawing water. As I was almost done he said, "Give | | | | We all got a few lessons about the world and His |
| Me a drink." | | | | kingdom He was bringing to earth. He introduced |
| I was stunned. It was not custom for a Jew to | | | | himself as Jesus and shared the hope of God with us |
| address a Samaritan much less a single man a | | | | and welcomes back into the eternal family of God. |
| women. So I asked Him such was my shock why He | | | | We put many questions to Him. Some men had |
| had done what He did | | | | scrolls and He took the time to find the passages |
| "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from | | | | and show us in the holy scrolls what was happening |
| me, a Samaritan woman?" | | | | and what would happen from this day on. |
| He looked up an me with such a serene look in his | | | | Daylight was breaking in my house as Jesus accepted |
| eyes and said, "If you knew the gift of God, and | | | | a bedroll to grab some sleep but by noon people |
| who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you | | | | were back eager to listen to Him more. His words |
| would have asked Him, and He would have given you | | | | were life, and I knew by eight o clock that night that |
| living water." | | | | I had found the living water. His words were |
| I couldn't understand Him or this living water and still | | | | refreshment to parched ground and barren souls. He |
| in shock I persisted and asked Him "Sir, You have | | | | was addictive; the words he spoke just kept you in |
| nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where | | | | rapt attention. |
| then do You get that living water? Are You greater | | | | I cooked Him a meal that night and He stopped |
| than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and | | | | talking for a while and simply sat and played with |
| drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his | | | | children and ate his meal in silence. I had an inkling |
| livestock?" | | | | that much of what he was sharing with us he was |
| Once again He smiled at me. It was a warm smile | | | | sharing with his disciples for the first time. |
| and gentle and He clearly was not shy of talking with | | | | "Are you sharing some of this for the first time with |
| me like so many others are. He said, "Whoever drinks | | | | some of your disciples." |
| of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of | | | | Jesus replied "Too people who think they possess |
| the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But | | | | God, sometimes it's hard for God to speak new |
| the water that I shall give him will become in him a | | | | things to them. It's only when I am around people |
| fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." | | | | that are not the chosen ones and share the light of |
| That sounded all too good to be true! Could there | | | | the good news that I get to fully express what the |
| exist a water like that? Surely He knew where I | | | | Father wants to do with this world. In the midst of |
| could get it. I asked "Sir, give me this water, that I | | | | sharing with you kind people the hope of mine and |
| may not thirst, nor come here to draw." | | | | God's that I am able to slowly unwrap the mystery |
| He replied "Go, call your husband, and come here." | | | | of God to these devout Jews. My, even eating with |
| I looked down in shame and hoped he didn't catch | | | | you is considered a sin by many, but as you can see |
| my state of being and then I said, "I have no | | | | everyone has cleared their plates and I am sure that |
| husband." | | | | I am not the only one that will tell you of what a |
| He replied with yet another smile, "You have well | | | | good job you did with the meal." |
| said, 'I have no husband,' for you have had five | | | | One of the elders asked, |
| husbands, and the one whom you now have is not | | | | "Why did you choose to stay in this house?" |
| your husband; in that you spoke truly." | | | | "If it wasn't for this lady I would not have come to |
| The man as you Americans call it, had just read my | | | | your region, but my Father directed me to her and |
| mail. How was it possible this stranger knew about | | | | to this house. I come not for the righteous but for |
| my whole life? He must have been divine and this | | | | sinners to call them into repentance. Within a week |
| meeting a divine moment. I addressed him with, "Sir, | | | | she will be married and she will forever be welcomed |
| I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers | | | | in your community as the women who met the |
| worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that | | | | Messiah and brought Him through your land. As my |
| in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to | | | | light shines on your village and my disciples come |
| worship." | | | | back to see you her name will go from being a |
| With a look of quite serenity on his face He said | | | | shame to a well renowned woman. And that is the |
| "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you | | | | hope of my Gospel my people. Everyone that wants |
| will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship | | | | to come is welcome. No matter what race, religion or |
| the Father. You worship what you do not know; we | | | | background they have with life. |
| know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. | | | | Jesus shared so many truths with the people. We |
| But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true | | | | saw Him laugh, we saw Him cry, and best of all for |
| worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; | | | | me he put to rest the uneasiness between myself |
| for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is | | | | and my children. Each of my children loved Him and |
| Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in | | | | he was able to explain why my life was so troubled. |
| spirit and truth." | | | | On that last night my children had dinner with me and |
| The man spoke in riddles. I still wanted to know | | | | stayed late into the light dawning hanging on his |
| where to get the living water and now he was | | | | every word. |
| talking about the Messiah. I continued, "I know that | | | | Jesus forever changed my life and the village life of |
| Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He | | | | our people. Years later I was baptised in the Holy |
| comes, He will tell us all things." | | | | Spirit and was able to speak to Jesus in heaven in |
| He lifted the bucket of water that I had drawn and | | | | my mind. |
| poured it into my water pot for carrying water and | | | | Today as I write to you I am with Him and live with |
| turned to me when he had poured it all out. "I who | | | | Him in heaven. |
| speak to you am He." | | | | I implore you, learn to hear from Jesus in your heart. |
| 27 And at this point His disciples came, and they | | | | He can and will speak to you. God bless. |
| marvelled that He talked with a woman; yet no one | | | | |