She was a woman who lost all hope.  Unloved, shunned, used, and abused, this woman believed she was unworthy – devalued because she was marked as immoral. She was deemed an outcast of society, and she bore the pain of her shame away from people – to avoid their whispers of condemnation. “Who is this woman?” you ask.  Well, her story is found in the gospel of John chapter four and the only name given to her is the Woman at the well.  Ironically, her nameless title is a fitting description of her unseen soul.  The deep hole of her heart was barren and dried out by the choices she made and her desperate need was a permanent filling of fresh living water found only in Jesus Christ.

Yes, Jesus, the compassionate one, the all-powerful one, the one who specializes in complete forgiveness.  Jesus is able to see her heart, shame, and pain, but because of love, refused to condemn.  He was willing to come to this woman’s rescue in the heat of the day and offer her a second chance – a different life than what she knew.  He invited her to drink abundantly from God’s living water of salvation – the blessings of a new beginning.  You see, only in Jesus do we have a chance to a new beginning, a different life than what we knew before.  Listen to God’s word in 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

This scripture reminds us that Jesus is our only hope of newness.  The second chance Jesus offers, through salvation, originates from Him, is initiated by Him and it always leads to a new beginning when we say yes to Him.  And the result is powerful!  Our old life … our old sinful position will be untraceable.

This is what happened to the woman at the well.  She was graced with a new beginning and a second chance for eternity, because she chose to believe in Jesus.  Are you reaping the guilt and shame of poor choices?  Have you lost all hope that a new beginning is within your reach?  Know that Jesus’ love declares us worthy for a second chance to a new beginning.  Will you say yes to Him today?