scripture and prayer reflection
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Lyrics
Your love is like the rain
Brings life unto the land
The people in drought
Fall onto their knees in
Thanks to the God in heaven above
He says "I am Your strength
By my power alone...
“Drink from me, I am the living water
All who drink will never thirst
Drink from me, I am the living water
Drink and You'll never thirst again"
Even in our wickedness
You raise us up again
You have called us by name
And given us freedom in You
There is life and fullness of joy
Your well we will draw
You'll speak unto us
"Drink from me, I am the living water
All who drink will never thirst
Drink from me, I am the living water
Drink and You'll never thirst again"
You are holy
You are God almighty
You are holy, God
"Drink from me, I am the living water
All who drink will never thirst
Drink from me, I am the living water
Drink and You'll never thirst again"
John 4:7-14
7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Isaiah 43:1-4a
1 But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you
Reflection
In times of drought we begin to see how precious the rain is, and we long for it. In times of fasting, we use our hunger to remind us to pray, to reorient to the fact that our greatest need is not food, but God. In this time of isolation and quarantine, we have a similar opportunity to reorient, as we miss face-to-face social interaction, and long for the freedom to get out of our homes and be with others.
The woman at the well came to draw water that day — that was all she was looking for. However, in their interactions, Jesus offers her something of value far beyond the water. He offers her Himself. And He offers us the same — a way to be with God when we were unable to before. Isaiah writes one of the most directly worded communications of God’s love for His people. He has redeemed us because in His eyes, we are precious, honored, loved.
The light, jazzy feel to this song is a kind of musical celebration of this reality. Even in our wickedness, He continues to draw us back to Himself, calling us by name. He continues to offer us Himself — the ability to drink deeply from the only true source of life and satisfaction, the only place where we can find true fullness of joy. What an astounding gift He offers.
In this time of relational drought, what would it be to turn to God not just out of need — though our awareness of need may be heightened at present — but also simply to enjoy Him? To remind our souls that it is Him we truly thirst for?
Take time today to reflect on Jesus’ offer of living water. When have you experienced walking with Jesus as a source of life and joy? When has it felt dry? Ask for God to strengthen you to bear any dryness you may be experiencing now, and for the grace to embrace His sufficiency. May He bless you with the ability to look to Him for satisfaction today — to look to His love and His drawing near to you in joy.