The Woman at the Well in John’s gospel has always been my go-to biblical character. For her courage. Her boldness. Her quick wit. Her gospel proclamation. And for her way of getting to know Jesus. I feel a connection to her. I sense we’re kindred spirits. Her story tells us that she went to the well at noon by herself, in the heat of the day. For me, motherhood often feels like that, the going alone.
The hard work that must get done. The loneliness. The wondering whether I’ll ever be free of diapers, the tantrums, the picky eating, the never-ending to-do list, the demands for my time, and the toys strewn across the floor–and that’s just before 9 a.m. And then there’s everything else to worry about in our country and in the world.
When I get to those moments, the feelings of desperation, the questions of worth, the anxiety for the future, the fear that I’m setting my daughter up for disaster, it’s then that I turn to the woman at the well. She’s there to bear the burden with me in the heat and loneliness. She’s there to point me to Jesus.
This message is an excerpt from a Café Faith reflection: Women at the well by Kimberly Knowle-Zeller.
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