Are You Refilling the Well?

We recently heard the Gospel about Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. When Jesus asks for a drink of water, she tells him that the well is deep, and she points out that Jesus doesn’t even have a bucket.

We each have our own wells, and they are where we store our experiences with Jesus. When we evangelize, we draw from these wells and use the stories they contain as a way to connect and help satisfy the thirst of those who haven’t yet met God. Those wells are deep, but if we don’t keep them filled, we’re going to have to scrape bottom to find something to share.  How do we refill the well?

Daily Prayer

Imagine someone asks you how your cousin is doing. If you haven’t kept in contact, your response will be vague I think she’s doing okay or Last I heard, she was fine. They won’t be satisfied by this answer, and they might decide you were the wrong person to ask. However, if you stayed in touch with that cousin, spoke to her every day, you’d have a much more personal response.  Maybe her kids had the chicken pox, or she earned a Business degree online.  The person asking could connect with your cousin through you.

It’s the same with Jesus. If we speak with Him every day, if we read Scripture and listen as He speaks to us, we’ll be able to give a personal response when someone asks us about Our Lord.

Bible Studies

The Word is alive, and Bible studies can peel back layers and open up new meaning to versus you’ve read many times before. I remember the first time I listened to Scott Hahn talk about the Samaritan woman at the well. There was depth to the story that I hadn’t realized before, and it gave me new insights to discuss with Jesus when I took that passage to prayer. More water for the well.

Eucharistic Adoration

Even if your parish doesn’t have Exposition, you can still adore Jesus in the tabernacle. Sitting in front of our Lord and talking to Him, even for five or ten minutes a day, will affect your relationship the same way it will add intimacy to your marriage if you turn off the television and take ten minutes to just listen to your spouse. There is a connection there that you can’t achieve in the day-to-day noisiness.

Whatever path you choose, re-filling the well gives you so much more to draw from when you are discussing Jesus with a co-worker, family member, or even a stranger. The added benefit is how your life will change by connecting with Jesus and your faith on a regular basis.

Consider it necessary maintenance for living as a disciple of Christ.

© Jacqueline Vick, 2017

 

 

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Jacqueline Vick

Jacqueline Vick

Jacqueline Vick is a devout Catholic, wife to a wonderful guy, pet parent to a troubled mutt, and mystery writer. Her website is www.jacquelinevick.com.

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