JESUS SITS BY THE WELL

LIVING WORD DEVOTIONAL
By Pastor Mensa Otabil

Monday 26th May 2025

JESUS SITS BY THE WELL

Scripture Reading: John 4:1-42

So He came to the city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. John 4:5–6

Our focus this week is on how Christians can present the Gospel to those we come into contact with. In John Chapters Three and Four, Jesus presented the gospel to two people from different backgrounds. In Chapter Three, Jesus explained what it means to be ‘born-again’ to a Jewish religious leader – a man of high repute. Now, in Chapter Four, the Lord was about to have a life-changing encounter with a Samaritan woman

The Samaritan woman contrasts sharply with Nicodemus. He was a respected ruler; she was an outcast. He was a Jew; she was a despised Samaritan. He was presumably, moral; she was immoral. He was learned in religious matters; she was ignorant. Yet, despite all their differences, Nicodemus, the churchman, and this woman of the world needed to be born again. Both had needs only Christ could meet.

The place Jesus chose for His meeting with the Samaritan woman was Jacob‘s well. It is the only well-mentioned in the New Testament. Jacob’s Well was both a religious point of reference as well as a place of refreshing. It was a meeting place for the women of the city of Sychar.
Jesus might have chosen that location because the well would be the perfect place for him to meet with and have a conversation with the woman.

To share the gospel of salvation through Christ, we must position ourselves where people are. The well was a meeting place for the inhabitants of the town. Today, the well could be the office, market, public transport, Facebook or WhatsApp.

Can you imagine how Jesus would have used all the meeting places we have today to share the love of God with people? If Jesus, in His time, found Himself on the various social media and messaging platforms we are on today, what would His message be? He probably would have used them to share the good news of the kingdom of God. And that is what we must do. Go to the ‘wells’ where people converge and share the gospel of Christ with them.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, put me in a place where I can share the message of your salvation with others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.