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.”
As a mother, I always wanted the best for our three sons, but not only did we not have the means to give them everything they may have wanted, I knew that in the long run giving them too much of what they wanted at the moment wasn’t healthy for them. I also knew they needed to be taught early the value of things and that they had to be worked for.
In John 4, Jesus is saying, if the Samaritan woman had asked him for a drink, he would have given her more than she asked for–water that would quench her physical thirst, but also her spiritual thirst and abundant life. But notice he said, “if you knew the gift,” and the giver, and if you asked –he (Jesus) would have given you living water.”
Remember in John 16:24 when Jesus said “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete”. In John 14:14, Jesus instructs the disciples to ask anything in “his name” and he will do it. Praying in Jesus’ name acknowledges his authority. Does that mean we ask and get anything or everything we want? No, but neither will we possibly get the things our Father deems beneficial if we don’t ask. He wants a relationship with us, the honest kind where we express our hurts, desires, or wants as long as we ask according to his good and perfect will. Our sovereign Father sees the motivation of our hearts and clearly sees down the road where we can’t see what is best for us.
The gift Jesus offered the Samaritan woman (and us) has already been paid for and is free. How often is anything in life really free? She didn’t have to do a thing to receive it but ask. Jesus paid the price, he is the living water, and there are no conditions on this gift if we just ask.
Sometimes we find ourselves in a dry desert of life and we need to ask again for a fresh cup of living water. Have you experienced or are you now in a dry desert spiritually? If so, spend time sharing your feelings with Jesus today, ask him for refreshment, then take time to listen and watch for his answer. He loves you and wants to make your joy complete.
Deb Hill