March 10

He Sat on the Well

Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. — John 4:6 BSB

This passage gives us one of the most tender pictures of Jesus in the gospels. After traveling all day in the hot sun, He arrives at a well and sits down, tired and thirsty. This is a picture of Jesus for those who are weary. There are many other pictures in the Bible for different situations—those who are tempted, those who are grieving, those who are penitent, mothers with children, the blind, the deaf, the lame, and the persecuted. But this is the picture for those who are tired.

When we look at this scene, we see Jesus in His humanity. This is an experience we can understand. When we see Him performing miracles, teaching, or even being transfigured, He feels far above us, and we can’t fully relate to His experiences. But here, in His weariness after a long day in the heat and dust, He is one of us, and we know how He felt. The comfort of this picture is that, because Jesus experienced real physical weariness, He can now sympathize with us when we are tired.

Do we fully appreciate the blessing of knowing that Jesus understands our human experiences? When we’ve had a hard day and feel exhausted, we can remember this picture of Jesus, worn out and sitting by the well. Even now, in His glory, He hasn’t forgotten what it felt like to be tired, and He looks down on us with compassion, sending us strength and encouragement. For all who have hard work and often feel tired, this image of Jesus should be framed in their minds and always kept in their hearts.