Living With Unmet Longing: A Study of the Woman at the WellSample

Centuries before Jesus met the woman at the well, the prophet Jeremiah wrote about another water source.

In the ancient world, people would dig cisterns—large holes in the ground—to store water. Unlike a well, which tapped into a flowing spring, cisterns could only receive and hold water. And if they were poorly constructed or became damaged, the water would run out.

In Jeremiah 2, God expresses his heartache over his people’s abandonment. They’ve stopped worshipping him and, instead, are worshipping false idols of other nations.

He compares this decision to someone ditching a well and drinking water from a broken cistern. It’s giving up a pure, fresh source of life and placing your hopes on something stagnant, muddy, and uncertain.

Lucky for us, you and I can easily turn on the tap water whenever we’re thirsty. But we still make the same spiritual mistake that the Israelites did: digging broken cisterns and asking them to fill us. We chase relationships, accomplishments, power, fame, money, security, autonomy—anything that promises to satisfy our soul longings.

Then, we’re hurt and shocked and confused when the water leaks!

It’s like putting a Band-aid on a bullet hole. It’s simply not enough.

At the well, Jesus lovingly helped this woman see how the “broken cisterns” of relationships were leaving her spiritually thirsty. He cared about her enough to challenge her. She was settling for a dirty pool of water, when a beautiful spring awaited.

Jesus didn’t dismiss her desire for love and connection. In fact, he validated it while pointing her to the real solution to her problem. He didn’t give her a ten-step plan or tell her to buy his latest book on how to date with confidence. The answer to her desperate search was sitting right in front of her, engaging her in conversation, seeing her and loving her as no man had ever seen or loved her before.

The answer was the reassuring, powerful, all-encompassing presence of Jesus Christ.

To close today, reflect and pray through the words below:

Heavenly Father, I easily turn to broken cisterns instead of you. Show me the specific areas of my life where I’m settling for second-rate satisfaction. I don’t want anything to keep me from your presence. In Jesus’ name, amen.