25th February 2026

25th February 2026


Pray (ACts)


Read (John 4:1-15 focus v7-10)


Message (Alan Burke)


Today I’m in Malaga. Well not as I write this devotion but as you read it. Is it raining again? It feels like all that it’s done since the beginning of January. Maybe you’ll remember the nursery rhyme; Rain, rain go away, Come again another day. Little Alan wants to play; Rain, rain, go to Spain, Never show your face again! Well DON’T be saying that until I get home. Not that it would really make a difference to the constant wet weather we have been having. But we have water in abundance, we don’t have water charges yet and I think the main reason why we don’t is because we’d all be raging paying for something that literally falls out of the sky and doesn’t ever seem to stop. It wasn’t like that in the Samaria nor is it today in that region. Water was not abundant like it is here today, wells and springs were important and this well where Jesus met the Samaritan woman would have played an important part of the life of many. 


The fact that this Samaritan woman comes to draw water at the hottest part of the day, by herself, shows to us that all is not right. She’s there at a time of the day to avoid her neighbours. She was a woman who was of ill repute yet Jesus’ desire to avoid the Pharisees and this woman desired to avoid her neighbours brings about this God ordained encounter. Initially we are told how Jesus asks her, “Will you give me a drink?”. This was a big cultural taboo, not only was it a woman that Jesus spoke to but also a Samaritan woman. For a Jewish reader or hearer of what is going on here in John 4 they would have expected that Jesus wouldn’t have even acknowledged this woman’s existence never mind speak to her or ask for a drink, maybe even go as far as curse her. 


This encounter for the Jew would have been something so counter cultural, to them Jesus either had lost his mind or was on something. Even touching a vessel that a Samaritan touched would have defiled him, made him unclean. But Jesus isn’t concerned. The reason is that it is not what we come in contact with that makes us unclean and unable to approach God, the issue is our hearts are unclean. (See Mk 7:14–15).


Jesus totally ignores her question, and moves the conversation from the physical to the Spiritual. Saying v10 “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The gift of God comes through the one that this Samaritan woman is speaking to, the one who asked her for a drink, and it is the gift of eternal life. If she had known the fulness of who Jesus was she would have asked but she did not. 


Just as before to speak of spiritual realities, Jesus speaks figuratively. He had done it with the temple authorities, he had done it with Nicodemus. The question is will this Samaritan woman comprehend the wonder of what Jesus is offering her, will she comprehend the wonder of whom she is in the presence off, the true God and true man who comes to offer her living water? Jesus the one that she is before, is the fountain of living water, the well of salvation, all who drink of him have eternal life. Have you drank of him, have you eternal life, for it is the only way that we receive eternal life is through him. He comes to give living water, this life and the things in it will never give satisfaction only Christ can.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q107 What doth the conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?
A. The conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen,” teacheth us to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him; and in testimony of our desire and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.
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