Our Old Testament reading today begins with these words from Exodus 17: “
From the wilderness of Sin…” Now, that doesn’t sound like a good place to be, does it? The Israelites found themselves in quite a messy situation—and honestly, it’s one we may find all too familiar. Have you ever been absolutely sure your plan was going to work out… only to watch it fall apart? That sinking disappointment? That’s where Israel was. God had already led them victoriously out of Egypt, through miracle after miracle. They were on their way to the Promised Land—but patience, as we all know, is not a common virtue, not then and not now. How patient are we this Lenten season?
This time, Israel faced something serious: Lack of water. In the desert, that’s a death sentence. It’s serious! But, remember, this was supposed to be a people of faith! And yet, what did they do? They panicked. They freaked out! They looked at the problem—and forgot God’s promise. Before long, they were arguing, blaming Moses, and doubting God Himself. And isn’t that something we recognize in ourselves? When things don’t go right, when life gets dry and uncomfortable, we often do the same. We see the desert (The problem we face) and forget the Deliverer (God).
But God, in His patience, doesn’t turn away from us. He responds with kindness: Water gushed forth from a rock—a vivid reminder that even in scarcity, God still provides. This physical sensation of being thirsty represents the inner thirst (or hunger for God) that we were created with. Fast forward to the Gospel, where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well. He tells her, “
If you drink the water I give, you will never thirst again.” That physical thirst points to something deeper—an inner thirst, a longing that every one of us carries.
We’re made with this hunger for God. Yet when we get restless or bored, we often try to fill that inner space with things that don’t last—success, Netflix, possessions, even relationships. And still, that thirst ends up coming back.
These two stories invite us to ask: What am I thirsty for? What well am I drawing from—
this perishable world or
the living water that never runs dry? Each one of us draw from a well. What does yours contain? Are you still dissatisfied even after drawing from it? When Israelites were desperate, they turned to their fears. They became restless and fell in into distrust! When the Samaritan woman was searching because of her many longings, she turned to her traditions, but Jesus gently showed her another way—to drink deeply from the life of God.
This is what God is offering us today. Whatever desert you’re facing—whether life has knocked you down, or you’re wrestling with a hard decision, or maybe you’re just tired and unsure of anything—hear this promise: “
You don’t have to depend on your own strength. Invite God’s life into your heart.” Don’t fill the God-shaped space inside you with temporary comforts that only contribute to numb you.
Let Jesus meet you at your own well—wherever that is. Because Jesus is our healer, he is making sure our wells are full of living water, and not full of fear, anger and anxiety. When life shakes us, our wells overflow with its contents. And remember, you don’t walk this road alone. This faith community here stands ready to journey with you, to pray with you, to help you be filled with that living water together. Don’t be shy! Your community is ready to walk with you!
Amen.
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