06-28-2026 | Dr. Michelle Jones

Devotional

Day 1: Leaving Your Jar at the Well

The Samaritan woman carried her water jar to the well but left it behind after encountering Jesus. Her physical need for water became secondary to the spiritual awakening she received. When we truly taste the living water Christ offers, we’re freed to abandon the containers of shame, avoidance, or old habits that once defined us. This liberation empowers us to testify boldly, unburdened by what others think. The jar left behind becomes a monument to God’s transformative encounter. [49:41]

“The woman left her water jar and went into the city, and began telling the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done. Can this be the Christ?’”
(John 4:28-29, AMP)

Reflection: What “water jar” have you been carrying—a habit, secret, or fear—that Jesus invites you to leave at the well today? How might releasing it free you to share your story?

Day 2: Confronting Little Gods in a Babylon World

Isaiah warned God’s people about worshiping “little gods”—idols of security, control, or cultural approval. Today’s “little gods” might be productivity metrics, social media validation, or the pressure to conform. God declares His supremacy over every rival, whether ancient Babylonian idols or modern anxieties. To thirst for righteousness means dismantling these substitutes, trusting the One who says, “There is no Rock like Me.” [58:56]

“I am the First and the Last. There is no God besides Me. Who is like Me? Let him proclaim it and declare it. Is there a god besides Me? There is no other Rock; I know of none.”
(Isaiah 44:6-8, AMP)

Reflection: What “little god” quietly competes for your worship? How does its false promise differ from the Rock who never shifts?

Day 3: Thirst That Outlasts the Well

Jesus redefined thirst at Jacob’s well. Physical thirst always returns, but those who drink living water develop a craving for righteousness—a hunger to align with God’s justice, mercy, and truth. This beatitude thirst isn’t satisfied by temporary fixes but grows deeper, compelling us toward prayer, scripture, and acts of love. Like the woman, we’re sent to draw others to the Source. [57:03]

“Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.”
(Matthew 5:6, AMP)

Reflection: When have you mistaken temporary relief for true spiritual satisfaction? What practical step could deepen your “thirst” for God’s righteousness this week?

Day 4: Strength in the Sacred Shake

The sermon challenged cultural myths that equate masculinity with stoicism. Jesus wept, got angry, and felt abandoned—yet never ceased being the Son of God. Vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s trusting God with your full humanity. Like the Samaritan woman who voiced her messy truth, we find power in bringing our unfiltered selves to Christ. [01:03:45]

“Jesus wept.”
(John 11:35, AMP)

Reflection: Where have you equated strength with silence? How might expressing your struggles—to God or a trusted person—become an act of holy courage?

Day 5: Seen, Known, Sent

The woman expected judgment but received vision. Jesus saw her—not just her past, but her purpose. God pours His Spirit on those society overlooks, turning marginalized voices into messengers. Your value isn’t determined by productivity, marital status, or others’ opinions. You’re seen, known, and commissioned—left at the well only to be sent out as a witness. [01:11:42]

“I will pour out water on him who is thirsty… I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring and My blessing on your descendants.”
(Isaiah 44:3, AMP)

Reflection: When have you felt invisible? How might embracing God’s gaze over others’ expectations redefine your sense of purpose today?

Sermon Summary

Isaiah 44 opens with the Lord promising water on thirsty ground and streams on dry places. God speaks as the first and the last, the only Rock, the one who can pour out Spirit and blessing when the ground looks too dry to live. Matthew 5:6 names that same thirst and calls blessed, joyful, and nourished by God’s goodness those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Righteousness is not just looking religious, but growing in right standing with God, acting fairly, and longing for God’s word in daily life.

John 4 shows Jesus going through Samaria because it was not optional. Jesus had to go where somebody was thirsty, unseen, and carrying more than a water jar. The Samaritan woman comes to the well in the heat of the day, likely trying to avoid the village and all the talk around her life. Jesus sees her, speaks with her, and receives her truth without condemnation. Jesus does not shame her for her situation, but tells her she has spoken truthfully.

The living water Jesus offers does what the well water cannot do. That water quenches a thirst deeper than public opinion, social pressure, loneliness, and being ignored. The woman came for water, but she left her water jar because her real thirst had already been touched. Her witness becomes, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done,” and still loved her.

Isaiah’s warning about little gods still reaches into present life. The little gods may be social media, money, marital status, golf, the stock market, or any concern that takes God’s undivided attention. The hunger and thirst for righteousness asks what the soul is really thirsty for and what has been allowed to sit at the center.

Men’s health month brings that thirst close to home. The pressure to produce and not process leaves many men suffering in silence, dealing with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, cancer, and mental health struggles while not feeling seen. Jesus’ own tears, anger, and cry of abandonment show that vulnerability is not weakness. Strength does not mean hiding every emotion, because there is strength in vulnerability.

God sees the one who feels invisible. God sees the man carrying weight on his shoulders. God sees the woman pressed by expectations. The living water gives freedom, hope, joy, and courage to leave burdens at the well and go back with a different attitude.

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Key Takeaways

1. God sees the unseen thirsty. Jesus went through Samaria because an overlooked woman needed more than well water. God’s seeing is not passive observation, but holy attention that moves toward the one hiding in heat, shame, and isolation. The soul that feels invisible is not invisible in God’s eyes. [60:49]
2. Living water restores true worth. The living water frees a person from letting the village define value, purpose, or identity. Worth is not determined by the naysayers, the household, the job, or the crowd, but by knowing who a person is and whose that person is. A quenched soul can return to the same place with a different spirit. [55:28]
3. Little gods still demand devotion. Isaiah’s warning against idols is not ancient history locked in Babylon’s day. Social media, money, status, work, pleasure, and even respectability can become little gods when they steal undivided attention from the living God. The question is not whether idols exist, but which thirst has been feeding them. [58:56]
4. Vulnerability belongs to faithful strength. The demand to be strong by all means necessary is not the word of God. Jesus wept, Jesus got angry, and Jesus knew abandonment, so honest emotion does not make a man less faithful or less strong. Seeking help can become a witness that breaks generational burdens instead of passing them down. [63:23]
5. The water jar can be left. The Samaritan woman came carrying one need, but she left with a deeper thirst quenched. The abandoned jar becomes a sign that Christ can change what a person thinks must be carried forever. The soul that meets living water can leave burdens at the well and walk back with witness.

## [57:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[46:37] - Scripture Readings From Isaiah, Matthew, and John
[48:49] - Blessed Are the Hungry and Thirsty
[49:05] - Jesus Had to Go Through Samaria
[50:06] - I See You
[50:59] - Men’s Health and Feeling Unseen
[53:11] - The Woman at the Well
[55:28] - Living Water That Quenches Deep Thirst
[57:45] - Leaving the Water Jar Behind
[58:35] - Isaiah, Idols, and Little Gods
[60:09] - Finding Faith in Dark Places
[62:34] - Strength, Vulnerability, and Seeking Help
[64:28] - A Different Attitude After the Well
[68:08] - Prayer for Men
[76:13] - Invitation and Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Isaiah 44:3 (ESV): "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants."
- Matthew 5:6 (ESV): "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
- John 4:4-29 (ESV): Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well.

Observation Questions

In John 4:4, why did Jesus have to go through Samaria, even though it was culturally unexpected? How does this connect to the idea of God seeing the "unseen thirsty"? [49:05]
What does Jesus mean by "living water" in John 4:10-14, and how is it different from the well water the woman sought? [55:28]
What examples of "little gods" (idols) are mentioned in the sermon that compete for our devotion today? [58:56]
How does the Samaritan woman’s response to Jesus change after their conversation? What does she leave behind, and what does she do next? [57:45]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the Samaritan woman went to the well at noon (John 4:6-7)? What does her avoidance of others reveal about her emotional or spiritual state? [53:11]
Jesus tells the woman, "You have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband" (John 4:18). Why does He acknowledge her truth without condemning her? How does this reflect God’s heart toward those carrying shame? [54:04]
Isaiah 44:3 promises water on dry ground and God’s Spirit poured out. How does this imagery relate to the "thirst" described in Matthew 5:6? What does it mean to hunger and thirst for righteousness? [48:49]
The sermon says, "Vulnerability belongs to faithful strength." How does Jesus’ example of tears, anger, and abandonment challenge cultural ideas about masculinity or strength? [01:03:23]

Application Questions

What "water jar" (a habit, burden, or coping mechanism) have you been carrying to quench a deeper thirst? What would it look like to leave it at the "well" this week? [57:45]
The sermon asks, "What little gods are stealing your undivided attention?" Identify one idol in your life (e.g., work, social media, status). How can you intentionally redirect that time/energy toward God? [58:56]
When have you felt "unseen" like the Samaritan woman? How might God’s promise of "holy attention" (Isaiah 44:3) reshape how you approach Him in prayer this week? [01:00:49]
The sermon highlights men’s struggles with mental health and vulnerability. How can you create safe spaces for yourself or others to share burdens without shame? [01:02:34]
The woman ran back to her village to testify about Jesus. Who in your life needs to hear, "Come, see someone who knows me fully and still loves me"? How can you share your story this week? [49:56]
Jesus met the woman in her isolation. Is there a relationship, habit, or situation you’ve been avoiding? What step can you take to bring it into God’s light? [53:11]

Sermon Clips

70s

“``What are you thirsty for? you have options. You don't have to do it by yourself. But sometimes it's difficult when the home that you go to, you don't feel loved and respected in. When you go to a job and there's more concern about what you can produce instead of the fact that you need a mental health It's not a sin to seek help. It doesn't make you less of a man. It makes you more of a man when you seek out the resources that are available to you. Yes. They can be costly, but it can be more costly if you don't get the help that you need.”

66s

“I know a lot of persons are depending on you, but one of the ways that you model that behavior is letting them know that you need a break. Allow them to see emotions that you may even be uncomfortable with. There is strength and vulnerability. So that means some of the things that you have learned, you need to throw them away because they're trash. You need to be strong by all means necessary. That's not in god's word. Jesus wept. Did he not? Jesus got angry. Did he not? Jesus felt abandoned and ostracized by god. So, yes, you're gonna have those moments too, but you need to express and release so you can be more of a witness of what god wants you to be and to become.”

47s

“The woman doesn't just represent gender. Woman represents humanity. There are times when we feel ostracized. There are times when we feel invisible. There are times when we feel marginalized, but when you engage in the living water, it gives you a sense of freedom even in dealing with oppressive situations in your life. We need God. God needs us. And in order for us to know that god is gonna be with us every single step of the way, you gotta take a taste of the living water. Oh, taste and see that god is good.”

46s

“It's called living water, and the water from the well doesn't have the ability to quench the thirst with the water that I'm talking about. This water that I'm talking about has the ability to quench any thirst that you may have so that when you go back to the village, you're not conscious of what the naysayers may say about you. You're not concerned about the expectation that others may have of you. But when you invest, when you quench the thirst of the living water, you realize your own worth. And it's not determined by what other people say about you. It's what you already know about yourself.”

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06-28-2026 | Dr. Michelle Jones | I See You!