Woman at the Well: Thirsty

John 4:1-45

All my life, I have been longing,
thirsting,
for I knew not what.
I have been waiting,
looking, searching,
but I never find.

I thought my longing
was for security,
the strong arms of a man,
to hide in, protected.
But strength failed me,
and I was left
alone and thirsty again.

I thought my longing
was for riches,
a well-off husband
to grant me every wish.
But money failed me,
and I was left
alone and thirsty again.

I thought my longing
was for pleasure,
the touch of a man,
his warm, fond embraces.
But love failed me,
and I was left
alone and thirsty again.

So I thought my longing
was for a future
won by my man
who'd secure it for me.
But hope failed me
and I was left
alone and thirsty again.

So I thought my longing
was for normality,
a peaceful life
with husband, family.
But life failed me,
and I was left
alone and thirsty again.

I do not know
what this longing is
and try to sate it
with whatever I find -
but always I am thirsty again,
insecure,
poor,
unhappy,
hopeless,
and don't know how to live.
Am I to die here,
parched?

Everyone who drinks of this water
will be thirsty again.
But those who drink
of the water that I will give them
will never be thirsty.

Lord,
all my life I have been longing,
thirsting -
now you open my eyes.
I have been waiting,
looking, searching -
now you let me find.

My longing has always
been for you,
for only you can fill it.
Peace and security come from you,
treasures worth more than earthly gold,
joy that lasts eternally,
hope for a future with you.
For you are the one
who gives me life
and stills my thirst.

A fountain
is welling up in me,
a torrent
begging to flow free -
I cannot but share
this water I've found
that stills the thirst
of all around.

________________________________________________________________

[16. March 2012]

A favourite text of mine... and a lesson I have found important to learn: only Jesus truly satisfies. We can work ourselves to death looking for answers and satisfaction of our needs in the wrong places - what we really need is found in Jesus.
I sort of based this around the Samaritan woman's 6 men (that's why every stanza mentions a man).

Picture by Henryk Siemiradzki