Pastoral Prayer - At The Well (Based on John 4)

Written by Rev. Dr. Todd Jenkins

Creator God, 

we seldom expect to encounter You 

in the middle of our daily sojourn, pandemic or not. 

We are so busy doing what we always do, 

that our focus is distracted. 

We heave the empty water jar of our lives onto our shoulders, 

and strike out toward the well -  

the place where our parched lives might have a chance to be quenched. 

It’s the same old path,

worn deep into the dirt by our tired feet. 

All along the way, O Lord, 

we catch glimpses of other people, 

but we turn our gaze away, 

because we have felt, 

far too often and far too deeply, 

the judgment in their stare, 

and the condemnation in their voice. 

That’s why we go in the heat of the day, 

hoping to avoid the crowds. 

And, truth be told, 

sometimes the shoe is on the other foot, 

and we are perched in the judgment seat. 

 

Who could have imagined

the disciples would have left the very flesh and blood 

of the Incarnate One at the well — 

our well — 

while they slipped into town in search of food. 

But there You were, 

sitting in what little shade there was, 

as if You were waiting on us to arrive. 

And when we did, You didn’t hesitate; 

You just spoke to us as if You’d known us all along, 

asking us to use what we had — 

an empty jar — 

to provide You a drink.

 

Of course, we had to point out 

that You had no bucket,

and the well was deep, 

but that didn’t seem to bother You, 

because You were drawing from 

a different well altogether; 

a well sunk deep into the heart 

of divine love and mercy. 

And then You looked into our eyes. 

It was as if Your gaze could see 

to the very core of our beings; 

as if You knew everything we’d ever done, 

as well as all the stuff we’ve left undone 
and scattered like wreckage across the narrative of our lives. 

 

Never had we experienced this before, 

our whole lives being laid bare before someone, 

and feeling, not judgment, condemnation, and rejection, 

but grace, mercy, and forgiveness! 

 

Our lives will never be the same. 

So, of course, we’ll drop our water jar 

and run back to the very people we’ve been trying to avoid, 

because we know they need to experience the same catharsis. 

 

Give us courage, O God,

to go back to all of the places we call our home villages, 

and to share the good news of divine love with all who will listen, 

and even to those who won’t, 

because the seed we plant 

may one day grow into the fruit of grace.

 

Give to each of us, who thirst for You, 

that living water of Your Spirit:
water of refreshment,
water of healing,
water of cleansing,
water of life.

 

Visit us with Your presence, 

Saturate us with Your Spirit.

Bathe us in Your streams of living water.

 

We pray these things, in the name of Christ, the Living Water, who taught us to pray by saying these words: 

 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.