John 4:5-6 (ESV)

So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

Did you know that Jacob’s well still exists today? It is situated a short distance from the archaeological site of Tell Balata, which is thought to be the site of biblical Shechem. The well currently lies within the complex of an Eastern Orthodox monastery of the same name, in the city of Nablus in the West Bank. The well is about 4 feet wide at its opening and 135 feet in depth…and about two thousand years ago, Jesus was sitting right beside it! Some commentators think it was about noon—the “sixth hour” according to Jewish time—while others believe John was referencing Roman time, making it about 6pm in the evening. Either way, after hours of walking in the heat of the day, our Savior was weary and needed some rest and a drink of cool water.

Jesus in his humanity can be a very comforting thought to ponder.

All of us have been there. Perhaps it was a long day at the office, or out in the field making calls on customers. Maybe it happened after hours of yard work in the scorching sun or after a long walk or run. Sometimes, life just makes you weary. Jesus knows how that feels. I like how the Heartlight devotional website puts it:

“Sounds almost bizarre as our hearts exalt and hold Jesus in the highest of places. At the same time, something wondrous is once again revealed to us. Jesus became flesh. Human flesh. Mortal flesh. Wearying flesh. He knows us not only because he is God, but also because he was one of us whose feet got dirty, whose legs grew tired, and whose stomach growled when it was empty. Jesus is a Savior who knows us; he knows us not just because he is God, but also because he has lived in our world, sharing our burdens, and feeling our weariness.”

We live in exhausting times. Our digital lives constantly cry out for connection to the fast-paced world around us. Every story is “Breaking News” and events around the world unfold in real-time right before us on our smartphones. Add to that the COVID-19 pandemic and all the resulting societal change…as well as the civil unrest brought about by George Floyd’s death…not to mention the constant political battles…and it is no wonder most of us feel weary. But, praise God that our Savior knows how we feel! He needed rest and so do we. God built that reality into the system when he ordained the Sabbath, but He also leads by example and took the time himself to “sit beside the well.” We should all do the same.