The eternal water

Water is essential for the survival of all forms of life. Everything needs water to survive and that’s why we always say: “water is life”. Certainly water is life, because if we last days without drinking water we can reach death. However, the water of this world is transient, and there is another type of water that we must procure, which is more important and eternal.

From the beginning of creation, water has played a fundamental role in sustaining life. Rivers, seas, rain, and springs have allowed civilizations to exist, crops to grow, and living beings to flourish. Without water, the earth would be nothing more than a barren desert. For this reason, humanity has always valued water as a precious resource, sometimes even fighting wars to control it. Yet, despite its immense importance, physical water can only sustain the body for a limited time.

When we reflect on the importance of water, we quickly understand that it sustains every living being. Yet, even though it is vital, it cannot solve our spiritual need. Physical water refreshes our bodies, but it never satisfies the soul. This is why the Bible presents us with a different kind of water, one that does not come from a river or a well, but from God Himself. It is a water that restores, renews, and gives eternal meaning to our existence.

Human beings are not only physical creatures; we are also spiritual beings. While our bodies need food and water, our souls hunger and thirst for something much deeper. Many people try to fill that inner emptiness with material possessions, success, relationships, or pleasures, but sooner or later they realize that these things cannot truly satisfy the heart. The thirst of the soul remains, silently crying out for something eternal.

The Bible tells us about Jesus and the Samaritan woman, both held a certain kind of conversation. Jesus comes to that place and asks for water, then that woman mentions the conflict that existed between the Jews and the Samaritans to which Jesus responds:

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

John 4:10

This encounter is extraordinary, not only because of what Jesus says, but also because of who He speaks to. In that cultural context, Jews avoided Samaritans, and men rarely spoke publicly with women, especially with a Samaritan woman. Yet Jesus deliberately breaks social, cultural, and religious barriers to reveal a profound spiritual truth. This alone teaches us that the living water He offers is available to everyone, regardless of background, past mistakes, or social status.

If that woman had realized who was the person that was asking for water she would not hesitate to give it to him, it was the Son of God himself, can you imagine Jesus asking for water? What a great privilege that would be. The Samaritan woman knew nothing of what was happening there and that is why in the following verses she speaks to Jesus as if He were a mere mortal, telling Him that the well is deep and that from where He could draw that living water.

This reaction reflects our own tendency as human beings. Many times we see Jesus only from a limited perspective. We see Him as a teacher, a prophet, or a historical figure, but we fail to recognize Him as the source of eternal life. Like the Samaritan woman, we focus on the physical well, the bucket, and the depth of the water, while ignoring the spiritual reality standing right in front of us.

This moment reveals something profound: many times God approaches us, speaks to us, calls us, and we do not recognize His voice. We remain focused on the earthly, on what we can see and touch, while the Lord tries to lead us toward something greater. The Samaritan woman was limited by her human understanding, just as we often are when we try to understand spiritual truths with natural reasoning.

Jesus never forces understanding upon us. Instead, He patiently explains, invites, and reveals truth step by step. He knew the woman’s heart, her past, her disappointments, and her thirst for something more. In the same way, Jesus knows our struggles, our failures, and our hidden longings. He meets us where we are, not to condemn us, but to offer us life. Jesus again says to the Samaritan:

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,

14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 4:13-14

These words reveal a clear contrast between what is temporary and what is eternal. The water from the well could satisfy the body for a few hours, but the thirst would inevitably return. This is the nature of everything in this world: money runs out, pleasures fade, achievements lose their shine, and relationships can disappoint. Everything temporary eventually leaves us thirsty again.

Obviously that woman thought that Jesus was talking about the water that I said in the introductory paragraph, however, Christ was not talking about a physical water, He was talking about eternal water.

The eternal water Jesus speaks of is the life that comes from a restored relationship with God. It is the forgiveness of sins, the healing of the heart, the peace that surpasses understanding, and the hope of eternal life. This water does not depend on circumstances, emotions, or external conditions. It flows from within, because it comes from God Himself dwelling in us.

The words of Jesus explain the great difference between the temporary and the eternal. Physical water satisfies only for a moment; soon after drinking it, thirst returns. But the water that Jesus offers goes far beyond our physical needs. It reaches the deepest place of the human being, quenches spiritual thirst, and opens the door to a new life. It is the kind of water that transforms hearts, heals wounds, and gives us purpose even in the midst of adversity.

When a person drinks from this living water, their life begins to change from the inside out. Despair is replaced by hope, guilt by forgiveness, fear by peace. This does not mean that problems disappear, but it means that we now face them with God’s strength and presence. The living water becomes an inner source of renewal that sustains us even in dry seasons.

The water that Jesus offers us jumps for eternal life, it is a water that makes us never thirst and by accepting Christ as our Lord we drink from that eternal water. Glory we give to God through Jesus Christ our beloved Lord who gives us the gift of eternal water. Let’s take each day of that water!

Drinking from this eternal water is not a one-time event, but a daily relationship with Christ. Through prayer, reading His Word, obedience, and trust, we continue to draw from that living source. Just as the body needs daily water to survive, the soul needs constant communion with God to remain spiritually alive and strong.

In a world filled with worries, confusion, and spiritual dryness, this living water becomes our hope. Many seek satisfaction in things that quickly fade, but Jesus continues to offer the same promise He gave to the Samaritan woman: a water that renews the soul and gives life forever. May we approach Him daily, recognizing that only in His presence do we find true refreshment.

Let us drink from His Word, trust His promises, and allow that eternal water to flow within us as a spring that never ceases. When we do, our lives will not only be refreshed, but they will also become channels through which others can encounter the same living water. In this way, the gift we receive from Christ does not stop with us, but overflows to bring life to those around us.