Filling the Holes - Martin Wiles

Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” John 4:10 NLT

I filled the hole, but it continued to sink.

At the corner of the lot my family and I lived on, a rotten oak tree swayed in the breeze. Each small gust of wind brought limbs to the ground. We feared one day the entire tree would crash and perhaps hit our house. We called a tree-cutting company who cut the tree. Then we called a stump removal service and had them grind the stump.

The spot where the tree had grown was now piled high with wood chips, but soon the ground leveled … even sunk. As the underground roots deteriorated, the chips and dirt sunk. I piled more on top. Eventually, they sunk. I continued piling on chips and dirt until the deterioration process had completed. Finally, we had level ground and no hole to fill.

The woman Jesus met at the well had a hole to fill also, but not one that involved a rotten tree. She had a relationship hole—actually, a God hole. She came for literal water; Jesus offered her living water. When He told her to call her husband, she said she had none. She had had five, and now she lived with a man. She tried to fill her God hole with shallow relationships.

Every person has a God hole. Trouble is, we don’t always recognize it—or we refuse to acknowledge it. As God prompts us to fill it with Him, we either obey or try something else. Even if we fill it with His presence, we can still attempt to add other things for further satisfaction. Things such as unhealthy relationships, play toys, investments, possessions, or addictive substances. Anything to help us experience the joy we feel we’re missing.

The woman had to keep returning to the well because she consumed the literal water and used it to cook. Jesus’ water—a relationship with Him—would satisfy her perpetually.

Jesus offers that same water to everyone. The gift of Himself to quench our thirst. The gift of relationship. Knowing that He forever abides in us through His Spirit and will guide us along life’s path, providing all we need along the way.

By following God’s plan for our lives, our thirst is quenched—the hole is filled. Total obedience ushers in satisfaction.

Fill your life hole through a loving relationship with Christ.

Prayer: Father, we thank You that we don’t have to go through life trying to fill a void only You can fill.