Something Better BY Malusi Skunyana
Read John 4:13-15
JOHN 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
JOHN 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
JOHN 4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
Like the woman at the well, many today are seeking for things that cannot satisfy the longing of the soul, but Jesus is still offering something better. Earthly treasures and pleasures will never bring us lasting happiness, only Jesus can give us real and lasting happiness. He does not only offer something better than earthly things; He offers something best – eternal life.
In John 4, we find the story of the woman of Samaria who had spent her life trying to satisfy her soul’s longing with vain pleasures. This woman no doubt had a bad reputation in her community as someone who stole other women’s husbands. She did not have a man that was really her own, and this must have made her very unpopular in her town especially with women. Most probably, this is what made her to go to fetch water at midday, the quietest hour, to ensure that she did not bump into some women at the well. But the Samaritan woman found Jesus at the well and her life would never be the same again. She was seeking only for the things of this world, but Jesus directed her thoughts to eternal realities.
Jesus began the conversation by asking for water to drink. The woman reminded Jesus of the enmity that existed between the Jews and Samaritans, which meant these people groups could not exchange gifts with one another. This racial divide was so big such that even the disciples of Jesus manifested it when they did not want Jesus to minister to the Samaritans. But Jesus’ mission respected no borders; He had come to save the world and not only the Jewish nation. Jesus led the Samaritan woman away from the physical water to eternal life. He totally changed the conversation from the earthly to the heavenly, from the perishing to the eternal. With respect to the earthly, Jesus was the suppliant and the Samaritan woman was the giver, but with respect to the heavenly, the woman was the suppliant and Jesus was the Giver.
As the woman perceived that Jesus was more than just a Jewish man, she began to change her tune. She began to wonder whether Jesus was not the Messiah of promise that their forefathers had looked for. Jesus’ apparent knowledge of her and His bold statement that He was the Messiah led this woman to believe that indeed this could be the promised One. The Samaritan woman forgot about the earthly and her thoughts were flooded with the heavenly. She came to the well only seeking to quench her physical thirst, but she met One who could give her more. Here was One who knew all about her, who could read the darkest secrets of her life like an open book, and He was offering her eternal life. The woman ran into the city to invite the Samaritans to come and see for themselves if this was not the promised Messiah.
Dear friend, perhaps like the woman at the well you were only seeking for things that could not satisfy; perhaps you have tried many things to satisfy your heart’s longing; perhaps you are exhausted and you are just looking for something better, something that can bring you happiness that lasts; Jesus is what you need. He can meet all your needs beyond your expectation. In Jesus, you can find peace of mind, fulfilment, and real joy. Above all the treasures of this world choose Jesus, and your life will never be the same again. His offer of eternal life still stands; why not claim it today? May God give you rich blessings from His bountiful supply! Amen!
