Jesus: Nourished by the Work of God

Since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011, Lebanon has been absorbing thousands of refugees. But when many Syrians leave behind their homes and make the eighteen-hour journey on foot, they arrive in Lebanon to find inadequate shelter, food, and medical resources.

In John 4, Jesus had been making a 70-mile trip from Judea to Galilee. He sat by a well in a small Samaritan village, resting while His disciples went into town to buy food. Most Jews would have planned their trip to avoid having to travel through Samaria, but Jesus did not.

He struck up a conversation with a woman who had come to draw water. She was not the kind of person the disciples imagined finding Jesus talking with upon their return—not only because she was a woman, and a Samaritan, but also because she had a tumultuous past. She was one of “those people.”

The conversation centered on the subject of water, but Jesus spoke strange words, offering the woman something tantalizing called “living water,” for which she would never have to return to the well. “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty!” (v. 15).

When the disciples returned, their focus was immediately food. “Rabbi, eat something!” they insisted, knowing that Jesus was worn out from their days of travel (v. 31). Just as He did with the woman, Jesus spoke in a riddle: “I have food you know nothing about” (v. 32).

Living water, spiritual food: Jesus makes the point that though our bodies are nourished by physical water and food, we are also spiritually thirsty for soulsatisfying water. Jesus is this water. And we are spiritually hungry for purposeful participation with God. Doing God’s will feeds us.