Every Woman at the Well
Every Woman at the Well
(#353 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
www.sufferwell.org
She brings to life another characteristic of Eve that personifies the longing within every woman. Born in Samaria (the root which means to keep watch, preserve, or guard; to protect or believe in human intellect or self); in the habit of retrieving from Jacob’s well (depending on earthly existence or provision); yet seeking for her true husband.
She represents the deep longing within every female soul; “I know the Messiah will come, and when He comes, He will tell us all things.” (John 4:25) She yearns for inner completion, for peace in her soul. She has hope that one day the desires within will no longer need to be fed by what is tangible, by what satisfies the physical senses. “For you have had five husbands; but the one whom you now have is not your husband.” (John 4:18) Her five husbands each represent her primitive attempts to satisfy her thirst, to fulfill herself with what the world (kosmos) offers.
Touch, taste, sound, sight, and aroma, all five (husbands) are sensual connections to earthly provisions. They provide input and feedback, but only as shadows of the heavenly (Hebrews 8:5). She is searching for who will tell her all things; she is looking for what is real and not weightless vapors (James 4:14). Yes, she has engaged with yet another imposter, but this time she has not bound herself in marriage; she has not committed and is therefore open to finding the One. When she finds Him she will be truly fulfilled; “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” (John 4:29)
“In that day seven women will take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food [keep the Feasts] and wear our own apparel [provide our holy garments]. Let us be called by your name so our shame is taken away from our reproach [from being unmarried].” (Isaiah 4:1)
Yes, she is unmarried because she recognizes that she will no longer be satisfied by the counterfeit. She is longing for Living Water, to be identified in marriage to Him. Yahshua answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” (John 4:13-15) She no longer desires to be fulfilled by what the well [the world] offers.
She is also longing for a man who can represent this Living Water on earth. She is every woman, and every woman is longing to see the Messiah in you, men. But woman, you will need to look past the flesh. The decree to men: “Husbands love your wives as the Messiah does.” “How?” you ask. “He gave His life for her.” (Ephesians 5:25) She will continue to look until she finds him. “The one I am with now is NOT my husband; come see the man who might be!” In order to find Him, the Living Water, both man and woman must surrender the need to be satisfied by sensual desires (the five senses). Whoever drinks of that water will thirst again.
Within every one of us is that woman at the well. “Come and see the Man.” Know that in Him alone is the answer to every question, the fulfilment of every longing. To find Him, look within each other, not at each other. Whosoever drinks of the water you find there will never thirst again.
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of the Mighty One and of Yahshua our Master, as His supernatural power has given to us all things that pertain to life and holy reverence, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the holy nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust [sensual desires]. (2 Peter 1:2-4)