Photo by Tetiana Shevereva on Unsplash
Over two thousand years ago, God spoke in the ear of His prophet Isaiah and offered His people an invitation: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.” (Isaiah 55:1a, NIV)
Few who heard the invitation listened, yet the message wasn’t wasted. Hidden in the middle of that Old Covenant invite was the word that extended God’s call beyond Judah’s borders:
All.
Hundreds of years later, Jesus issued the same invitation. Talking to a woman at a Samaritan well, He made it clear you don’t have to be Jewish, married, or even righteous to drink the water he offers; all you need to be is thirsty.
“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.” (John 4:14, NIV)
He’s not choosy about who comes. He just wants them to drink.
“And you who have no money come, buy grain and eat.” (Isaiah 55:1b, NIV)
There is a way one with no money can have — if the price is paid by another. And it was.
At the well where we offer Him our worth, the Host will tell us, “You were invited because of a promise. Your invitation has the blood signature of my Son and He’s already paid for the banquet. Come on in.”
“Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.” (Isaiah 55:1c, NIV)
Ever had the pleasure of working at a food pantry? Where those without are invited in and all is there for their choosing? Some come boldly. Some sneak in. Some hold their heads high; others feel they need to be ashamed. Some bring their children, and for that, we’re always thankful because children’s eyes still sparkle, and they still know how to receive. For those who fill the tables, the reward is always greatest when the gifts are received with joy.
And so it is with the Father.
Out of self-worth? Out of confidence? No matter. All you need is time and attention. That’s the coming. That’s the “buy.”
“Coming” doesn’t mean sitting down and reading your Bible. Sure, the idea is you sit down, open the book, and read. But if your heart and mind aren’t there with your body, you might walk away with nothing more than a checkmark in a box.
The tough “buy” is your attention. God has given you an incredibly fluid soul. You can come even when you’re busy. Driving to work? Come. Waiting in a line? Come. Take ahold of that wandering mind and set it on Him.
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:2a, NIV)
That’s a good question. And therein lies the challenge. To say we all have 24 hours in a day is factual, but it’s not fair. The real question is, what are you doing with the time you have? Are you spending your time and attention on things that leave you as empty as you were when you handed over that little piece of your life? My favorite bad example is Facebook, perhaps because it’s one I think I’ve mastered. I stop by the writers’ groups pages and the pages of those I pray for, but I discipline myself to stop. right. there. Or my time will be down the toilet. If there’s anything there that really needs my attention, I’m sure I’ll hear about it from friends or family.
“Listen, listen to me…” [emphasis mine] (Isaiah 55:2a, NIV )
J. Alec Motyer, in The Prophecy of Isaiah, tells us, “Listen, listen is an infinitive absolute construction meaning ‘listen persistently.’” (Gosh, Alec, “listen persistently” would have been enough for me.) So what does that mean, “listen persistently”? Listening persistently is stubbornness in grasping for understanding; being humble enough to say, “Say that again. And again.”
“…and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.” (Isaiah 55:2b, NIV)
So who wouldn’t want the richest of fare? Perhaps those who are busy eating something else? I like a McDonald’s cheeseburger as much as the next person. No groceries, no time, and no dishwashing necessary! Easy-peasy.
But not a good idea.
The more McDonald’s cheeseburgers I eat, the more McDonald’s cheeseburgers I want. Cheeseburger after cheeseburger might keep me full, but it won’t keep me healthy.
I used to think the Bible kind of eating meant reading God’s Word. I still think that, but I think there’s much, much more. He doesn’t say “eat,” he says, “listen and eat.” That means I won’t eat unless I listen. For me, that means meditating on whatever I’ve read or heard and then letting Him speak to me about it, listening and listening, and then listening some more, with ears open all day long.
Nowadays, I try to read less and listen more. I don’t try to cram His words in by the shovelful with a goal in mind. I take smaller bites, chew more slowly, digest all day, then use what I’ve gained to do what he’s asked me to do. That, for me, is the richest of fare.
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35, NIV)
Thank you, generous Jesus.
And now, a healthy treat for those who came to read and ended up listening; really listening: Whisper — Jason Upton.
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