9 The Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

10 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.”

15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

— John 4:9-10, 15

“for My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

— Jeremiah 2:13

“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”

— Isaiah 44:3

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

May the presence of God be with you all your days!

The Bible mentions “living water” several times. Living water is God’s gift, often tied to Jesus’ identity and Jesus always gladly gives it to whoever asks. For example in John 4, while the Samaritan woman was curious about why Jesus, a Jew, would ask her, a Samaritan, for a drink, Jesus graciously revealed His identity to her. She needed to recognize Him as the Messiah. Only Jesus can give God’s gift of living water to those who ask.

What is the living water that Jesus gives to us believers? Living water refers to fresh, flowing spring water, rather than the still, stagnant water in a cistern. In the Old Testament, God said, “They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broke cisterns that cannot hold water.” Jesus’ offer of living water includes the Holy Spirit, who gives eternal life. Praise the Lord! The Holy Spirit indwells all who receive Jesus, producing an inner spring of joy that continually renews and satisfies the heart of the true believers.