Woman at the Well and the Sacrament

Today we had a lesson on the Sacrament. Our wonderful teacher shared the scripture passage in John 4:4-14 of the Woman at the well.

Through the whole hour I was trying to figure out how this story went a long with the sacrament. It came to me in little waves of insight and filled me with so much gratitude to my savior. I would like to share it with you...

Picture Christ sitting in at a well while a woman comes to draw water. Jesus asks her to give him a drink. The woman answers "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans."

I ask this same question even today. I am not perfect. In fact there are many things that I am working on and need to improve. I am just like this woman of Samaria. Yet Christ still asks me... "Serve me, feed my sheep..." I find myself asking many times, why me? How is it that me, little Jill, who is still trying to figure things out can be asked to do all these things of someone who is perfect?

Jesus answered and said unto her, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."

What is the Gift of God? Who is Jesus Christ that is asking me to do these things? What is the living water? These questions are all linked and in a way answer each other. We read in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." God's gift to us is him loving us enough to know we would struggle here on earth, that we would need help to get back to him. His gift is providing us a savior, his son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is our mediator the person who loved us so much he sacrificed himself to allow us a way to be cleansed from our mistakes and be worthy to make it back to our father's presence. In Nephi's vision of the tree of life he learns that the "Living water" is the love of God. When I think of what Christ is trying to teach this woman I think of the gospel and the joy and piece I have that never go away... in a sense I really am filled always because of the knowledge of the plan of happiness and of the sacrifice of my savior. I have already partaken of this living water and I have made covenants through baptism to remember what it means.

The sacrament then comes into play very nicely. I partake of the sacrament every week to recommit to living the covenants that I have made with my father in heaven through baptism. I take it to show that I am still willing to take upon me the name of Christ, to always remember Christ, and to keep the commandments.

I, like the woman of Samaria am not perfect, but Christ is still asking me; and so far in my life I have already said yes, I will draw that water for him, I will serve that person, fulfill that calling, write that note! I might be little me, just Jill... but I can do hard things and with the gift of God anything is possible!