All Who Are Thirsty
John 7:37 reads, "On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.'"
I remember reading this verse and scribbling something down in my journal with frustration: “Why is this not true for me?" I felt far from God, like He had disappeared from my life. My prayers felt hollow, like they were bouncing off the ceiling. "I am thirsty! Where are You?" I cried out, hoping for some sort of answer, but nothing seemed to change.
Have you ever felt that way? Completely distant from God, as if your prayers don’t make it past your own mind? It’s a painful place to be. But what I’ve come to realize over time is that, even in that low place, God is still there. Even when we feel nothing, He is still with us. Despite how we feel, God’s heart remains open.
This brings to mind another passage from John, one that echoes the same thirst but in a different way. In John 4, we read about a Samaritan woman drawing water at noon. As many pastors have pointed out, this was unusual; it was the hottest part of the day. She probably went at this time to avoid the crowds, trying to escape the judgmental eyes of others. The text later reveals that she had been divorced multiple times and was living with a man who wasn’t her husband. In the eyes of her community, she was a social outcast.
Then Jesus shows up. And He does something radical: He asks her for a drink of water.
This was shocking for several reasons. First, the woman was Samaritan, from a group of people despised by the Jews as unclean. Second, she was a woman, and at that time, men didn’t speak to women in private, especially not under these circumstances. Third, she was living in open sin, an adulterer by the standards of her day.
Yet, none of these things stopped Jesus from engaging her. He asked for water from her—a broken, outcast woman—and told her that if she knew who He was, she would ask Him for “living water.”After she requested this living water, Jesus revealed to her that He knew about her sin—the multiple failed marriages and her current relationship.
Some interpret this story as a blueprint for how believers should approach sinners, showing that Jesus didn’t allow her to stay the same but called her to change. That may be part of it.
But I think there’s something deeper at play. What if the point was that Jesus was showing her that nothing she did would stop Him from engaging with her? No sin, no failure, no shame could disqualify her from His love and attention. He knew everything about her, and yet He still came to that well, just for her.
And the same is true for us. Even when we feel broken, distant, and thirsty for something more, Jesus is still there. He sees our failures, knows our hearts, and still offers us living water. He promises to fill our deepest thirsts—not because we’ve earned it, but because His love is greater than our brokenness.
If you feel distant from God today, know this: He is near. He sees you in the mess and still offers you living water. And nothing can keep Him from loving you, not even your doubts, frustrations, or failures.
So if you’re thirsty, come to Him and drink.
