Jesus promised to give the woman at the well in Samaria water that would quench her thirst once and for all. I don’t think she fully understood what Jesus was offering. He promised that if she would drink the water he would give “she would never thirst again.” I think when Jesus addresses the idea of his satisfying thirst, he’s not really talking about physical water. He is just using the common experience we all know about being “thirsty” for water or “hungry” for food. He’s looking at the Psalms that talk about how God satisfies our most significant thirsts in life. In Psalm 42:1-2 we read, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

Thirst in Greek is dipsos. We have an English word that is derived from dipsos, the word dipsomania used of extreme thirstiness, but especially of the insatiable craving for alcoholic beverages. It makes me think of the alcoholic in detox with cravings so strong they have to strap him down to keep him from hurting himself. People are “thirsty” for God when they sense His absence. The psalmist in 42 is in exile in Jordan. David, in Psalm 63 is in exile in the desert, the nation is in exile in Psalm 107, and during each of these serious times of problems and trouble they “Thirst” for God. When things are going well, we don’t thirst too much for God anymore than we thirst for water when we have drunk our fill or hunger for food with a full stomach. So God at times, allows life’s hardships to encompass us, so that our thirst for Him will be piqued. Then he is ready to bless and satisfy us.

Jesus said that those who “thirsted” for righteousness are blessed and they will be satisfied. If they had righteousness on their own they wouldn’t be thirsty for it. But they don’t and none of us do. God sent his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, into the world to satisfy our thirst and hunger for God and righteousness. In Jeremiah 33:16, he tells us that the Messiah’s name will be “The Lord is our Righteousness.” And in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 Paul explains our situation:   “…you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,  so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” The only righteousness we’ll ever have is what Christ gives us. Through him, we have our spiritual longings met.