Come and Drink

Greetings from the Village of Cassadaga! Did you know that the name Cassadaga is derived from a Seneca Indian word meaning “water beneath the rocks”? Cassadaga is known for its numerous natural water springs, which made the area an ideal location for early settlers. Even today, water is an important part of the identity of the village, which is fitting for a community situated around three lakes.

As I reflected on the heritage of our community and its connection to water, I found myself thinking about scripture. In Chapter 4 of John’s Gospel account, we encounter the well-known story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. By this point, Jesus’ ministry is in full swing, and John, Chapter 4 opens up with Jesus traveling from Judea to Galilee. The shortest route between these two points passes through the region of Samaria. While this route would have made the most sense for someone making the journey, it was often avoided by Jewish people of the time due to a deep distrust between them and the Samaritans. There was history here, and these people did everything that they could do to stay away from one another. However, Jesus did not operate by the same rules as everyone else.

As Jesus intentionally makes his way through Samaria, He is tired and thirsty from the journey. As such, He sits by a well, hoping to get some water to drink. As He sat there, a Samaritan woman came to draw water for herself. Jesus asks her, “Will you give me a drink?” Recognizing that Jesus is Jewish, the Samaritan woman questions why Jesus would even associate with her. John 4:10 (NIV) — Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Intrigued, the Samaritan woman wants to know more about this “living water.” John 4:13-15 (NIV) — Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

There are things in life that satisfy us for a moment but never completely satisfy us. We eat a meal, but eventually we become hungry again. We drink a glass of water, but a few hours later we are thirsty again. We accomplish great things and fulfill our most sought after desires, only to shortly begin looking for the next best thing.

While Jesus spoke of water to the Samaritan woman, He recognized that her thirst was much deeper than physical. There was a longing deep within her soul. No matter what she did, she could never find the fulfillment that she was truly searching for. Every day she would return to the well to fill her cup, only to return the next day wanting more.

We all have places in our lives where we try to find fulfillment. Sometimes we look for it in relationships; sometimes in success, possessions, recognition, entertainment or comfort. While none of these things are necessarily bad, none of them were designed to satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts.

While every well will eventually run dry, Jesus’ offer will never expire. You can keep searching for fulfillment in things that are temporary, or you can allow Jesus to fill you to overflowing so that you may never thirst again. Today, if you are tired, exhausted and running on empty, take Jesus for His offer. He is still speaking. He is still saying, “Come and drink.” The invitation isn’t to try harder. It isn’t to pretend that we are not thirsty. It is simply to come to Him.

Pastor Brandon Meacham is a lifelong resident of Cassadaga Valley. He currently resides in Sinclairville with his wife Brandi, and two children Lilleean and Isaac. He serves as the lead pastor at Park Methodist Church with campuses in both Sinclairville and Cassadaga.