wandering in the woods

Last week, during Sunday School, the scriptural focus was on the story of the woman at the well (John 4).  Afterwards as the pastor was speaking during the service, my mind wandered back to this character.  Take a minute to read the passage if you have never read it before, or if you haven't in a while.

I think we often see ourselves as the disciples in this passage.  Or at least I do.  I think it is the typical place a Christian poses him or herself in the passage.  As followers of Christ wouldn't we put ourselves in the story as followers of Christ?  But really though, shouldn't we be seeing ourselves as the woman at the well? 

The woman, as it is stated in verse six, is at the well at mid-day.  And she is by herself.  There is a reason for that.  All the other women were already at the well in the early morning to avoid the mid-day heat.  The woman is a Samaritan, and according to this passage she has been around the block a few times and is avoiding the other women.  And as Jesus so poignantly demonstrates, that is indeed the reason the woman is so late in going to the well.

We're the woman at the well.  Whether churchgoer or not, we're all sinners.  We don't all have it together.  We're struggling everyday, searching for the living water Jesus offers to the woman at the well – and to all of us.  In this season of Lent I can't help but to think of myself, the church, and all of us, as the woman at the well – a woman who no longer has to get her water at midday, but with all the other women in the morning.