Inviting God -Week 9 / The Woman at the Well

Week 9 – Day 1: Invitation to a Thirsty Soul

Read: John 4:1–14

Today’s story is one of my favorites. I know I say that often, but it’s true. Jesus is catching heat from the Pharisees about how many people he’s baptizing. So, He and His crew pack up and head to Galilee. However, Jesus doesn’t take the usual route. Most Jews traveling from Judea to Galilee would deliberately avoid Samaria. They would go east, cross the Jordan River, then head north and eventually turn west again – all to steer clear of the Samaritan people they despised.

The hatred was rooted in centuries of frustration and hostility. The Samaritans were a mixed race of Jews and Assyrians. They intermarried after Israel’s exile and created their own version of the Jewish faith. They built their own temple, developed their own interpretation of the Law, and because of this, the Jews despised them and went to great lengths to avoid them. In most Jewish people’s eyes, the Samaritans were considered the lowest of the low.

So, it’s interesting that Jesus says in verse four that He had to travel through Samaria because most Jews didn’t. He’s not referring to a route necessity — that there’s no other way. Instead, He’s talking about this specific encounter. Jesus had to go through Samaria because He had a divine appointment with the woman at Jacob’s well.

Jesus meets her at an unusual time. It’s noon, the heat of the day. Most women come to the well early in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the scorching sun. But this woman isn’t trying to avoid the sun; she’s trying to avoid the judgmental glances of others.

She’s had quite a life. She’s been married five times. She’s currently living with a man who is not her husband. And the people in this community seem to know it. But none of that seems to bother Jesus. She is the very reason He’s here.

Now, what you may not realize is just how radical this story is, culturally speaking. Good Jews never spoke to Samaritans. They especially never spoke to Samaritan women. Especially one with this kind of reputation. The fact that Jesus seeks her out, speaks to her, and asks for a drink is completely counter-cultural to the time. That’s why she responds the way she does, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (John 4:9).

But this encounter isn’t about physical water or physical thirst. It’s about a deeper thirst within this woman who is hiding from everyone else in her town. Jesus has come, seeking her out, in order to offer her a gift – Himself.

He says, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” (John 4:10). That’s the true desire of this woman. She has been trapped by life’s hardships for way too long. She’s been waiting and hoping that the rumors might be true—that the Messiah might actually be coming soon to set everything right (John 4:25). We will get into that a bit more tomorrow. For now, here’s what I want you to see: Jesus is not repelled by this woman’s past. And He doesn’t overlook it either. He simply offers her a solution. He offers her what she truly seeks.

She is here in the heat of the day, doing the task that must be done every single day – collecting water so she can survive. And amid it all, Jesus appears and says, in essence, saying, “Do you know that there is a water that can never run dry? A water that can spring up in your soul and bring you eternal life?” (John 4:13-14).

Please hear me: despite all outward appearances, what people in our lives need most is something to satisfy their spiritual thirst. Some might tell this woman she needs a new routine. Others would evaluate her life and say she needs relationship help—perhaps a man who will commit to her. Still, some might suggest she needs a counselor to explore why she has been in so many relationships. Is it abandonment, self-worth issues, or something else?

We tend to view those around us through the same lens. But Jesus didn’t. That doesn’t mean He didn’t see their struggles; He simply understood the real issue. Her soul was thirsty. There was a hole in her life that no earthly pursuit could fill. You know, that’s all of us? Seriously. The Bible says that God has placed a longing for Him and eternal life within our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Deep down, we all sense that something’s missing. Everyone hopes there’s a reason why they feel like life should be more than what they’re experiencing.

That is what Jesus offers this woman: the life of God. The life she was created for. The life she deeply longed for but believed she could never have or deserve. It’s this invitation that the people around us desperately need!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for deliberately seeking me out. I don’t deserve that kind of love, but I welcome it. I recognize there are people in my life I tend to avoid. Lord, help me see them through Your eyes. Help me see what’s really going on in their life, not just their circumstances. Arrange a divine appointment with them today, and enable me to share Your Living Water. Amen.

Reflection:
1. Jesus didn’t just see the woman’s circumstances; He saw her soul’s thirst. How do you tend to view people in your life—through their circumstances or through their deeper spiritual need? How would it change the way you interact with them if you looked through Jesus’ lens?(MULTILINE)

2. The woman thought Jesus was offering her a practical fix, but He was inviting her into eternal life. In what ways do people around you look for “quick fixes” to their emptiness? How could you gently point them to the deeper living water Jesus offers?(MULTILINE)

3. The Bible says God has placed eternity in our hearts. Where do you notice that longing in your own life or in the lives of others? How does that truth give you confidence to invite people into a relationship with Jesus?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Today, look beyond someone’s circumstances and recognize their soul’s thirst. Ask God to reveal one person who might be hiding behind routines, struggles, or surface needs, and take a step toward inviting them to experience the Living Water only Jesus can provide.

Week 9 – Day 2: Gentle Truth Leads to Healing

Read: John 4:15-26

One of the main reasons I often hear for why people don’t share Jesus with those God has placed in their lives is fear. They worry they will offend them. They fear that by talking to them about Jesus, they might suddenly point out some unknown sin in their life and come across as judgmental. That’s why this part of the Woman at the Well’s story is so important. Jesus shows us clearly how a loving invitation and gentle truth can lead to deep healing.

As I mentioned yesterday, this woman is fully aware of her sins. That’s why she’s here at this time of day. She knows who she is, and so do those around us. Listen, I understand that some narcissistic people out there are oblivious to the fact that they could ever do anything wrong, but trust me on this – most of the people we interact with daily are just like this Samaritan woman: they are aware of their own shortcomings.

In fact, your attempt to love them may catch them off guard because of how aware they are of their own sin. Jesus certainly did. She was in shock that Jesus would want to have anything to do with her. But she was ready. She was open. She was in need. So are most of the people around us – they just don’t fully understand their need.

When Jesus offered her Living Water so that she would never thirst again, her first reaction was to think that there was a way for her to avoid this well altogether. To avoid the heat. To avoid her shame. Her history. That’s why she says, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water.” (John 4:15). Some of the people you minister to will have a similar reaction. As you seek to share the love and life of Jesus with them, they will think you’re offering them a quick fix. But what we have to offer goes so much deeper than that.

Jesus saw through her request and her deeper longing. She yearned to be free from shame and guilt. But to find that freedom, he needed to gently reveal the reality of her situation in life. No quick fixes could give her what she truly desired.

This is key as we go out and do the ministry of reconciliation that God has called us to. Eventually, we will need to show others that the actions they are taking and the places they are turning to are not working. However, we don’t have to be harsh in doing this. Jesus wasn’t. But He also doesn’t ignore what’s happening in her life. It’s a sign of her greater need. She’s been married five times and is now living with a man who isn’t her husband. It’s true.

She will never find fulfillment this way. So, Jesus gently points out that truth by bringing up where she has been turning for fulfillment and gently indicating the results. What she is doing is NOT working, and it never will.

The conversation, like the entire encounter, catches her completely off guard. She senses that something radically different is happening with this encounter. Jesus isn’t here judging her but simply pointing out that she is miserable and inviting her to receive a gift that can change everything. She feels something deep inside. This conversation—this is what she’s been searching for. This is what she wants. She senses that what she needs is what Jesus alone can give her, and so she says, “I know that the Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

And that’s when Jesus drops the bombshell: “I, the one speaking to you, am he.” (John 4:26).
This simple, loving, truth-filled conversation will change the entire course of her life. As we will see tomorrow, she becomes the first evangelist of her city.

This is the picture of the ministry Jesus has called each of us to. When we share His heart and His mission to seek and save the lost, these are the kinds of stories we will encounter: stories of deep hurt, stories of misplaced hope, and stories of people repeatedly turning to the wrong places in an attempt to fill a God-sized hole in their hearts.

This is who we are called to be: following Jesus’ footsteps into difficult places. Going to broken people who have placed their hope in the wrong things and lovingly showing them that those things will never bring fulfillment—that only God can fill the void in their lives. It’s a challenging yet beautiful calling, and when done right, the results can be extraordinary.

Prayer: Father, help me to be like Jesus to those around me. Help me see past surface hurt to the deeper needs. Let my words speak truth with love and grace. Help me love others so well that they sense I’ve been sent by you to tell them what they truly long to hear – Eternal life is available. There is hope. His name is Jesus. Amen.

Reflection:
1. Jesus met the woman where she was and acknowledged her reality. How do you usually respond when you see someone struggling—do you address the deeper need or focus on surface problems? How might seeing their spiritual thirst change your approach?(MULTILINE)

2. The woman was surprised that Jesus spoke truth without judgment. How can you learn to share truth with gentleness in your conversations about faith? When have you experienced truth communicated with love, and how did it impact you?(MULTILINE)

3. Jesus revealed Himself directly to her in the right moment. How does this encourage you to trust God’s timing when inviting others to know Him? Who in your life might be ready to hear the truth today?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Follow Jesus’ example today by speaking truth with love and tenderness. Choose one person who is spiritually thirsty and take a gentle, purposeful step to show them that only Jesus can satisfy the deep longing in their heart—whether through a conversation, sharing your story, or inviting them to experience Him in a meaningful way.

Week 9 – Day 3: Transformation Results in Invitation

Read: John 4:27-42

Yesterday, we learned how a loving invitation and gentle truth can lead to deep healing. Jesus wasn’t afraid to point out that the Samaritan woman had placed her hope in the wrong things. But he didn’t do so to condemn her, rather to help her see her greater need. She initially thought His offer of Living Water would help her in her current situation—help her avoid the heat and shame that drove her to the well in the middle of the day instead of in the morning when others gathered.

But Jesus saw her deeper need behind her request. She truly longed to be free from her shame. She didn’t need a quick fix; she needed to meet the ONLY one who could truly fix what was broken in her life.

That’s what this ministry of reconciliation that God has called us to is all about. We must gently but confidently speak into the lives of the people we love. We must be willing to show them that the places they keep turning to in life aren’t working and will never bring the fulfillment their hearts long for. It’s tough but gentle work. But the results can be incredible!

In our text yesterday, Jesus revealed His true identity to this woman. She had sensed that there was something different about Him. He looked at her in a different way. He saw what was really going on. She had been trapped by life’s hardships for way too long. She had been waiting and hoping that the rumors might be true – that the Missiah might actually be coming soon to set everything right (John 4:25). That’s when He told her, “I, the one speaking to you, am He.” (John 4:26).

Right at that moment, the disciples arrived. They are in complete shock at the scene unfolding before them. How can Jesus, the one they believe to be the Messiah, the coming King of the Jews, be here, sitting at a well, talking to a Samaritan woman? There is no way any of the Sadducees or Pharisees would be caught dead doing this. But no one says a word. Nothing interrupts the moment.

And there, right there, between verses 27 and 28, something astounding happens. The woman evidently receives the gift Jesus is offering, because in that instant, everything changes! The one who only sought a quick fix for her water problems completely leaves her jar behind. The one who was so ashamed she was trying to avoid people now runs to those same people shouting, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:29). I believe the text implies that the heart behind what she was saying was, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did and still loved me” (emphasis mine).

And come they did. The ones who whispered about her now ran to see WHO she was talking about. WHO could love THIS woman in this way?

There is a brief pause at this point in the story before we can see the results of this woman’s simple invitation of “come and see.” It’s a sermonette for Jesus’ disciples. A truth they, and we, need to understand. They are worried about Him getting something to eat physically. He is trying to show them the spiritual hunger that surrounds him. “Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest.” (John 4:35).

Talk about a message we need today. “Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest.” That is precisely what this entire encounter has been about. The fact that there are hurting people all around us. People who are desperate for answers. People who are placing their hope in the same old broken places. People who need Jesus.

Alright, back to our girl. What happens when God gets hold of a woman like this? When she is truly changed, she meets Jesus and leaves behind her shame and regret, naturally taking on His mission. There was no class, no training period—just a genuine response to being so loved. “Come and see.” “Come and see for yourself. If He loves me, He will love you too!” (Emphasis mine.)

And the results are astonishing. Talk about a great harvest. Verse 39 states that “many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman said.” (John 4:39). They asked Jesus to stay, and He agreed. Then, in verse 41, it says, “Many more believed because of what He said.” I don’t know how you interpret that, but to me, it sounds like a whole city was transformed by the simple invitation of one woman who was changed.

And that is precisely what God wants to do with you!

Prayer: Father, changed people change others. I am thankful for what you’ve done for me. Forgive me for not sharing that with others. I see it clearly now. I understand what you are calling me to do. Keep guiding me toward it. Keep showing me that the fields around me are ready for harvest. Use my story and commitment to personal invitation to reach those around me. Amen.

Reflection:
1. The woman who once hid from her community ran back to them with boldness. How does encountering Jesus free you from shame and empower you to invite others to know Him? In what ways could your own story—flaws and all—become the very thing God uses to draw others to Him?(MULTILINE)

2. Jesus told His disciples to open their eyes to the spiritual harvest around them. What might keep you from seeing the people around you who are ready to hear the gospel? How can you begin to notice them with new eyes?(MULTILINE)

3. Many in the town believed because of her testimony, and even more believed when they heard Jesus for themselves. How does this show the power of your personal story as well as the importance of personally inviting others into His presence?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Take a step of boldness today by doing what the Samaritan woman did—extend a simple invitation. Share your story, point someone to Jesus, or invite them to join you in a place where they can hear about Him. Trust that God can multiply even a small invitation into a great harvest.

Week 9 – Day 4: “Come, All Who Are Thirsty”

Read: Isaiah 55:1-7

What happened at Jacob’s Well in Samaria wasn’t just some random occurrence. It was a divine appointment. One God had planned since the beginning of time. Jesus’ offer of Living Water wasn’t a new concept, but rather, it was an offer God had made centuries earlier. 700 years earlier, in fact. The prophet Isaiah spoke those words to a group of people caught up in exile. Trapped in shame. Overcome by hopelessness.

“Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the water; and you without silver, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without silver and without cost!” (Isaiah 55:1).

Isn’t that exactly what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman? She was worn out, weary, ashamed, and overwhelmed by hopelessness. She desperately wanted something to change, but she kept turning to the same old things that never brought lasting transformation. She was empty, dry, with no way out, no resources, and no way to buy her way into God’s favor. Her story is ours, by the way. None of us can earn God’s favor; we are all spiritually bankrupt. Yet Jesus offers her an incredible gift: eternal life. Living water that will overflow her soul is available—at no cost, as a free gift from God.

Isaiah’s call to those trapped in exile is God’s great invitation to each of us. To everyone who is thirsty, weary, stuck in sin, tired of the same broken ways of life. It’s an invitation to come to Him. To turn to Him. To lay down everything we’ve been carrying—everything that doesn’t, and never can, satisfy—and to come to the One who does!

The Samaritan woman had been looking for fulfillment through broken relationships, just as Isaiah’s audience relied on broken idols and promises. Our lives aren’t much different, if we’re honest. We chase after broken things too—things we know won’t last. Convincing ourselves “if we just have a little more, things will be different,” or “this time, maybe it will work.” Yet no amount of success, money, or approval seems to last. None of it seems to fill the void. And that’s because none of it can.

That’s the radical nature of the gospel, by the way. God offers to do for us what we can’t do ourselves. All our attempts to find fulfillment fail. They fall short. Yet, we spend our lives chasing after them—over and over again, repeating the same mistakes. It’s maddening.

But Jesus offers something else—something that actually works. Something that won’t just fill the void, that giant hole in our chest we all feel and have been trying to fill with worldly trappings. He promises Himself—His life, the life of God. And this life not only fills the void in our lives but also overflows, bubbling up to impact those around us.

That’s the offer God makes through His prophet Isaiah. He offers water to those who are thirsty—water to those trapped in the wilderness of life. It’s something they can’t find on their own, and it’s what they truly need. However, it’s not something they can earn. No one can afford the Living Water of God. God’s standard for accepting us and receiving His eternal life (Living Water) is that we be perfect. Is there enough money on the planet to buy that? In fact, the Bible clearly states that none of our acts of righteousness matter to God because we aren’t truly righteous (Romans 3:10-12).

This means we must receive this Living Water, this eternal life. That’s exactly what Isaiah is saying. Anyone who is thirsty should come to God, and He will fill them – free of charge – it’s a gift from God. You just need to realize you’re thirsty, come, and accept it freely.

This is the message we desperately need. And it’s the message we desperately need to share in a dry and thirsty world. People need to understand that God sees them. That He knows their pain. That He sees their efforts. That He knows all the places they’ve turned to try to find healing.

But they also need to understand that none of those things or places will truly satisfy. None will last. What they are longing for is something only God can provide. They need eternal life. They need God to fill the hole that He places in their hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). They need living water, and He is the only one who can provide it.

They can’t earn it. This isn’t a change they can make on their own. They must leave behind their old jars, the old places they turned to for fulfillment, their broken ways, and instead turn to Him. Come to Him, and if they do, He will save them. He will enter their lives, make them new, and make them His. His life cannot be contained. His love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control cannot be contained! They will spring up within us and overflow naturally into the lives of those around us.

Prayer: Father, I come to you today because I really need your presence. I often find myself returning to old patterns instead of turning to you. I’m ready for a change. I no longer want to be that person. Father, please heal me and become my everything. I desire your life to bubble up inside of me, overflow, and positively influence everyone you bring into my life. Use me, Oh God, for you are my life. Amen.

Reflection:
1. God invites all who are thirsty to come freely and receive His gift. How does recognizing your own spiritual thirst help you understand the needs of those around you? How might this awareness shape the way you share God’s invitation with others?(MULTILINE)

2. What does it mean to turn from your own ways and return to the Lord? How might someone you know be trying to fill their life with things that will never satisfy, and how could you help guide them to the Living Water God offers?(MULTILINE)

3. Why is it impossible for human effort to satisfy the spiritual longing God has placed in our hearts? How does understanding this truth give urgency and clarity to sharing the gospel with those who are spiritually “thirsty”?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Take a real step today—think about someone you know who’s been searching for true fulfillment. Reach out to them, whether it’s through talking, sharing your story, or inviting them to hear about Jesus. Trust that God will fill the emptiness only He can satisfy.

Week 9 – Day 5: Overflow

Read: John 7:37-39

Sometimes its hard for the modern reader to understand the richness and depth of certain statements made by Jesus. Today’s text is one of those instances. In John chapter 7, Jesus is going to go to the temple at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths. The Feast of Tabernacles was one of the most celebrated and joyful festivals for the nation of Israel. It was a time when the Jewish people gathered for an entire week to honor God’s presence and what He had done for them during their Wilderness wanderings.

The people built temporary shelters to live in for the week, recalling how their ancestors lived while wandering in the Wilderness after the Exodus. Throughout the week, they celebrated how God provided for them, even though they lacked the faith to enter the Promised Land. Despite their disobedience, God continued to be with His people, offering His presence, protection, and provision of food and water.

During the celebration, priests carried water daily from the Pool of Siloam in golden pitchers and poured it at the base of the altar. That name may sound familiar to you. For many, the Pool of Siloam is synonymous with healing because it’s where Jesus sends the man born blind to wash off the mud from his eyes. The pool itself was fed by the Gihon Spring, meaning its source was one of living water. So, the pouring out of water at the festival had a twofold meaning. It was both a prayer for rain and a bountiful harvest, and a remembrance of how God provided life-giving water from the rock in Exodus 17.

And, it’s during this time of looking back and remembering God’s provision that Jesus stands up and declares that they no longer need to look back to a time when God provided for them, because He is now the very provision of God, standing in their midst. That’s the point He makes when He declares, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him. (John 7:38). Jesus is saying – That’s me. That thing you’re doing and what it represents…that life-giving water…is me!

His declaration is made on the last and greatest day of the feast, the day when the ceremony involving water from the Pool of Siloam reaches its climax. On that day, the priest would line up in a grand procession, carrying pitchers from the pool and marching toward the Temple while singing the Psalms of Ascent. They would pour out gallons of water from the Pool of Siloam, never worrying that the pool would run dry because, after all, its source was one of living water.

That’s the backdrop for Jesus’ statement. If you come to me, you will be like the Pool of Siloam. Living water will never run dry in you, and there will be plenty to pour out into others! That’s the meaning of Jesus’ statement that anyone who believed in Him would have “streams of living water flow from deep within him,” by the way. (John 7:38). Streams are never meant for just one person. They are meant to give life to the masses!

Streams provide far more water than any individual could ever need. They are meant to be shared so that life might be extended to others as well. This represents the ultimate vision of the Christian life. This is what Isaiah prophesied. What the woman at the well received, and what Jesus wants to do in every one of His disciples. He desires to bring them to life and then use them to bring others to life as well. His living water flowing into His children is always intended to overflow into the lives of those around them.

Here’s a simple way to see it. When God fills you up, it’s never just for you. It’s always meant to overflow into the lives of those around you!

Prayer: God, that’s what I want my life to be. I desire your love, your goodness, your kindness—your life—to flow from me to others. Please do this, Lord. Use me to bring others to life. Use the fact that I know you to help others know you. Here I am, Lord, use me!

Reflection:
1. Jesus offers living water that not only satisfies but overflows into the lives of others. In what ways do you find yourself tempted to hold God’s provision just for yourself, instead of allowing it to flow outward? What might it look like to rely on the Spirit to move past self-preservation and let His life overflow into others?(MULTILINE)

2. The Pool of Siloam never ran dry because its source was living water. Jesus says that when you believe in Him, streams of living water will flow from within you. Where are you tempted to rely on your own natural capacity instead of trusting His Spirit to be your source? How might your dependence on the Spirit change the way you invite others to experience Christ through you?(MULTILINE)

3. Streams are never meant for one person—they exist to bring life to many. Who around you right now needs to experience the overflow of God’s work in your life? What’s one Spirit-dependent way you can intentionally let that living water flow toward them this week?(MULTILINE)

Application:
Ask God today to fill you with His Spirit in such a way that His life naturally overflows from you into the lives of others. Select one person nearby who is longing for hope, and prayerfully invite them to experience the living water of Jesus—trusting not in your own words or ability, but in the Spirit’s power flowing through you.