“Sir,” the woman said, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep.” John 4:11
John Newton, author of “Amazing Grace” and other hymns, once wrote to a theology student: “The chief means for attaining wisdom and suitable gifts for the ministry are Holy Scripture and prayer. The one is the fountain of living water, and the other is the bucket with which we are to draw.” This is good advice for all Christians.
The source of all truth is Holy Scripture. From it comes the refreshing Word. At Jacob’s well near a Samaritan village Jesus spoke the Word of God to a woman. He said: “The water I give him [the receptive hearer of the Word] will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).
The Word of God that Jesus proclaimed does in turn proclaim Him as the source of all grace. Saint John writes in his gospel that Jesus, the Father’s one and only Son, was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). He added: “From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another” (John 1:16). This is living water. The grace of Jesus, to which Holy Scripture bears witness, brings us salvation. Saint Paul tells us how Jesus’ grace applies to us: “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich:” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus went into the desert of this world; He endured poverty and deprivation; He hungered and thirsted; He suffered death on the cross to bring us the refreshment of God’s forgiving grace.
At Jacob’s well the woman said that Jesus needed a vessel with which to draw water. All the blessings Jesus procured for us would do us no good unless we had faith in Him. Faith is the hand by which we receive God’s gifts and make them our own. The cup of faith holds the water of life. In faith we approach the throne of God in prayer. The hymn writer states: “Thou art coming to a King, Large petitions with thee bring.” And also bring along a large container! Bring a faith large enough to draw the water of life – grace and truth – from the fountain of God’s Word!
Are you thirsty? Be refreshed! Come to the fountain of Christ’s Gospel.
PRAYER: O Holy Spirit, refresh me by leading me closer to Christ. Amen.
(Devotions from "With Jesus Every Day" copyright 1997, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: 1 Samuel 19 Psalms 23 Psalms 59 Luke 21:1-19
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