¹³Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” ¹⁵The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.”

                              John 4: 13-15

The conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well has many of the characteristics of Jesus’ conversations with other people in John’s telling of the gospel story. There’s a sense of gap between the literal interpretation of his conversation partners and the more things of heaven nuances of Jesus. Jesus tells the woman he offers eternal life in the living water that he will provide; she misunderstands as she asks for drink thinking she’ll never have to come to the town well again.

For us, the conversation and the promise of Jesus point us to baptism. Simple water becomes living water indeed as we are joined to Christ, as we’re made members of the church, and as we grow in faith, love and obedience to the will of God. As we give thanks at the font, we pray Luther’s Flood prayer, giving thanks for water and for the new life we receive as God claims us and calls us as his own.

Remember who and whose you are especially in times like these.

Let us pray.

We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your Spirit moved over the waters and by your Word you created the world, calling forth life in which you took delight. Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family, and through the sea you led your people Israel from slavery into freedom. At the river your Son was baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By the baptism of Jesus’ death and resurrection you set us free from the power of sin and death and raise us up to live in you.

Pour out your Holy Spirit, the power of your living Word, that those who are washed in the waters of baptism may be given new life. To you be given honor and praise through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, now and forever.

Amen.

                                                                                    ELW page 230
                                                                                    Holy Baptism