March 11

Give Me to Drink

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink — John 4:7

This illustrates to us how full the world’s common walks are of Christ. This woman went out from her home on a very ordinary and commonplace errand, to draw a little water from the public well, and before she returned she had met the Messiah and He had revealed Himself to her soul as her Saviour. She was not seeking for Christ save as the unsatisfied yearning of her heart was a faint cry for Him whom she knew not. We never know when we are to meet Christ. He waits for us in all the paths of life. She was in the way of simple duty when he met her.

The way of duty is always the surest place to come upon Christ. No one ever yet found Him in the path of disobedience. This woman was unaware of the glory of the presence beside her. Jesus met her in the form of a weary and way-worn man, and won His way to her conscience and heart before he revealed to her the glory of His personality. Christ continually comes in unrecognized ways, getting near to us and drawing out our love and trust before we know that it is Christ we are loving and trusting; then He drops the veil and shows us His blessed face.

There is another suggestion here: Jesus began His ministry of blessing to this woman by asking a simple favour of her. “Give me to drink,” He said. Thus He continually stands before us in some disguise, asking some service. He Himself has told us that in the least of His little ones who appeal to us for bread in their hunger, or relief in their distress, He Himself comes, and that what we do for these we do for Him. So we never know when it is Christ that stands before us, in some suppliant or needy one, with timid request for help. We should be careful how we treat the lowliest, lest some day we deny a cup of water to the blessed glorious Christ.