There’s Room at The Well
Paul Giertz
John 4:3-30
Before we look at this wonderful narrative, let’s take a stroll through some of the episodes that Genesis records at a well.
Genesis 16:7-16
Sarah deals harshly with Hagar so Hagar fled.
The LORD found her at a fountain and gave her promises and told her to return to Sarah and Abraham.
I don’t care what they may say about you.
I don’t care what they may think about you.
I don’t listen to the whispers behind your back.
I am the God that cannot lie.
I am the God that speaks and it was done, commanded and it stood fast (Ps 33:9)
I gave you a promise – and it will happen!
Maybe you’re trying to flee from unpleasant circumstances today.
Perhaps you don’t like the situation that you’re in – it may not even be your fault.
In stead of trying to drown the unpleasantness of your situation at the fountains of this world – God wants to speak promise to you! He wants to breath things into your life!
Genesis 21:9-19
Hagar is not put out. She’s rejected.
She is cast away with little provision and no direction.
Her provision runs out.
Hagar’s son is sick, no doubt dehydrated and painfully hungry.
She set’s him under a tree to be as comfortable as possible in his last moments alive and walks away off because she can’t stand the thought of losing her son.
Scripture records (v 17) that God heard the cries of the boy.
God goes to Hagar, “What is wrong with you? I heard your son’s tears where he is. Get up, get your son, I still have my promise to keep – I told you I would make a great nation out of him.”
The Lord opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.
When there was no hope….
When there was no way….
When the circumstances were overwhelming….
Even should you not remember what his promise is – He will meet you at your desperation and give you a well to sustain your life!
He will remind you of his promise to revive your hope.
He will wipe away all tears from your eyes and you can know the joy of his salvation!
Hagar forgot God’s promise. She was overwhelmed at the rejection. She was despondent because of the crisis that she was in.
I need to preach to someone today that God keeps his promises!
“For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even so many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:39)
Peter was talking about the living water Jesus spoke of. “This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel….”
Genesis 26:12-22
Isaac was blessed and prospered.
He began to redig the wells that his father had dug before him that the Philistines filled in.
The first well, he dug it and then the herdsmen in the are stove (fought) with him so he called it E-sek (Contention).
The second well he redug the folks in the area fought with him again so he called it, Sit-nah (Hatred).
One more time!
The third well he didn’t re-dig. He dug his own well. No one fought. No hatred and no contention. He called it “Rehoboth”, because God made room for him.
Who am I preaching to that has tried this and tried that? It seems like you take one step forward, then Contention shows up and you take two steps back. You keep your faith strong and continue to seek for God and his direction only to have Hatred show up and cause you a bunch of trouble.
Keep digging! Keep seeking!
Don’t be like Hagar with the provision so close, but blinded by the pain of the circumstance.
There is room at the well for you!
In John 4 Jesus meets the woman at the well in Samaria.
He tells her to get him water. Then says if you knew who was asking you, you’d ask me water that you will never thirst again.
I’m here to preach today that Jesus has the only thing that will satisfy your soul.
He has a love that is stronger than what any man or woman can give!
He has a joy that provides a bridge over troubled waters – it is unspeakable and full of glory.
He has grace that is much more abundant that any situation you find yourself in.
He has peace like a river that reaches beyond understanding and meets you where you are.
Perhaps you find yourself now at the place like the people did in Acts 2 where they said, “Men and brethren, What shall we do?”
Peter’s response to that question is still true today, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
This is the living water!
Won’t you come to the well today?
The above article, “There’s Room At The Well” is written by Paul Giertz. The article was excerpted from The Preacher’s Page Newsletter written by Gregg Stone in September of 2010.
The material is most likely copyrighted and should not be reprinted under any other name or author. However, this material may be freely used for personal study or research purposes.
