“Wearied with His Journey”

“Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.” (John 4:6)

      The word “wearied” tells us that our Savior was tired; but wearied is a much stronger word than “tired.” This word, “wearied,” means tired, sick, worn out, exhausted, beat down, burdened. Our Savior was “wearied!” He was weary with fatigue from his journey, weary with care for the souls of men, and weary with the burden of his heart, the burden he carried throughout the days of his flesh, the fact that soon he must be made sin to put away sin. This weariness was real, more real than any of us can imagine. Yet, our Savior’s weariness was a voluntary weariness. This was a part of the curse he had come to remove, the curse that was due us and seized upon him as a man, from the moment that he came forth from the womb, saying, “Lo! I come to do thy will, O my God!”

            When he took our nature into union with himself, our dear Savior “took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses” (Matthew 8:17). He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows all the days of his humiliation (Isaiah 53:4). — “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. — “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:10, 17-18).

      Child of God, when weariness seems to overwhelm you, look up to Christ. What an example he has given us. Though wearied more than any man, his weariness did not prevent him from continuing in his journey. Weariness did not prevent him from pushing forward in his work. Weariness did not keep him from doing his Father’s will. Weariness did not keep him from serving the needs of a poor, eternity bound sinner. Weariness with his journey did not stop our Savior from finishing his journey in the death he accomplished at Calvary for us.

Robert Hawker rightly asked, “And what can bring (such) relief to the pilgrimage tears of the redeemed, or so sweetly soothe the wearied frames of his people both in body and soul, as looking unto Jesus?”

Was he wearied with his journey through this world as Jehovah’s Servant? He truly was. Yet, he turned not back. So let me be found faithful to the end, though often wearied in the journey. — Was he wearied with his journey? He truly was, but never murmured because of it. So let me never grumble about mine. — Was he wearied with his journey, having no place to rest his head? Yes, he truly was; but he never let it disturb his peace. So let me not repine if I find the world treating me as an outcast. — Was he wearied with his journey, though rich, yet for my sake condescending to be poor, though the Lord of Life and Glory, yet “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;” subjecting himself to hunger and thirst, and weariness and affliction, tempted and buffeted, and despised; yea, “a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and the outcast of the people”? He truly was. Spirit of God, grant me grace in every trying circumstance of life, as oft as I am weary of the journey appointed me in this world, to behold my blessed Lord “Jesus being wearied with his journey, (as) he sat thus on the well!”

Don Fortner

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