Never to Thirst Again

KEY VERSE: “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” —John 4:13,14

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: John 4:7-15, 27-27, 39-42

JESUS, who was more anxious to preach the Gospel than to drink of the water offered by the Samaritan woman, was not to be drawn off by her questions into a discussion of the wrongs and rights of Samaritans. He had an important lesson to teach, and so he said to her, “If you knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”

The force of the expression is seen when we realize that the words used by Jesus, “the gift of God,” were quite familiar words to her. They were the words used by the water carrier who was heard daily in the cities crying, “The gift of God! The gift of God!” How strangely wonderful the statement must have seemed to her! How wonderful it is to us, even after we have learned its real depth of meaning! The more we learn about it, the greater is the refreshment as we continue to partake of it.

Just as our physical systems call for water and cannot do without it, so we thirst for higher things. The world is seeking to satisfy its thirst in various ways. The thirst for wealth, for influence, for power, is insatiable; but what the world is seeking and failing to get, our Lord gives to his people. Jesus said that whoever drank of Jacob’s well would thirst again. And we know it is true that every source to which men go for happiness and satisfaction still leaves a craving for something else.

Those, however, who have tasted of the good Word of God, the living waters, can testify to the truth of our Lord’s next words: “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” Indeed, it satisfies our longings as nothing else can do.—vs. 14

But this is not all, for our Lord went on to say that it “shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” Our hearts rejoice as we see in this the suggestion of blessing other hearts—passing on the blessing and refreshment—which will eventually “satisfy the desire [the thirst] of every living thing.”—Ps. 145:16

Jesus explained that the water which he gave, when properly assimilated, would be in the believer as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. Properly appreciated and assimilated, it will be in us as a fountain gushing forth the message of the Gospel for the refreshment of others. Isaiah speaks of those who draw water from the wells of salvation. “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.”—Isaiah 12:2-5

This Scripture speaks of God as an overflowing fountain prepared to supply the wants of all his creatures. It applies also to his plan of salvation as the source of comfort which he has opened through his redeeming mercy to satisfy the needs of all mankind.

There are those called to assist in the dispensing of these future blessings. Each dedicated follower of the Master, even in the present life, should be as a well of salvation, in the sense of being a proclaimer of the Gospel of Christ. In the kingdom, when exalted to reign with Christ, they will be wells of salvation in a more complete sense in that, as associates with Jesus, they will extend blessings of health and everlasting life to all who will accept them upon the basis of faith and obedience.—John 14:12; Gal. 3:8,16,27-29

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