“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price…” Isaiah 55: 1, NKJV
Lord, we thank you for the invitation to come and have not only our needs, but our wants, satisfied as well, in Thee. Amen
This invitation throws the door wide open. It is for everyone who thirsts; everyone who has a longing, everyone with a void that needs to be filled. It is for those of us who need living waters. We are invited to come, not only for a drink of refreshing water, but to enjoy a feast!
This is a promise of restoration. Israel’s sin had separated them from God. But God, who constantly goes in search of His children is reassuring them that though “I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness (love) I will have mercy on you” (Isaiah 54: 8). He reminds them that in the same manner He promised never again to destroy the earth with a flood, He swears that He will not be angry with them or rebuke them (9). He is about to restore His people to the life of abundance that He had planned for them. He would free them from their captivity.
It was never God’s plan that His children should live on the bare necessities of life. Proof of this is the fact that when Adam and Eve were created they were put in a garden complete with everything that made life pleasant, “And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food…Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed, it was very good…” (Genesis 1: 29, 31). Yes, a life of abundance was, and still is, what God wishes for His children. Jesus confirmed this when He declared, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10: 10). Sin ruined the plan, Jesus restored it!
Verse 2 of Isaiah 55 raises a very interesting question, Why are you spending money on something that will not nourish you, that will not fill a need; and why are you using up your energy working for something that will not bring you satisfaction? This made me think of some news I read about “SpaceShipTwo,” which might be ready for test flights this year. This is a space project in the making, of British billionaire Richard Branson, and aerospace designer Burt Rutan. There are already approximately “200 prospective passengers” willing to pay $200,000 each for “4 1/2 minutes of zero-gravity time floating about a ship…before returning to their seats.” They hope to be able to go 62 miles above the earth, just “for the fun of it.” Now this experience might fill a long cherished dream, as one of the prospective passengers expressed; but after the excitement wears off, then what? How will the longings be satisfied? What will fill the void?
But the invitation from the Lord is for us to experience lasting satisfaction. He offers to establish “an everlasting covenant” with us. In order to ensure that this covenant is built upon a firm foundation He pleads with us to seek Him now, “while He may be found;” to call upon Him “while He is near.” He encourages us to leave our wrong doings, and evil thoughts, and return to Him. He is waiting to offer us abundant forgiveness for all our sins. As abundant as His love and blessings, so is His mercy and pardon! We will go out with joy, and return with peace. He promises to provide not only our needs (bread and water), but our wants, as well (milk and wine)! And all of this is offered free, without money, and without price! Praise God!
This feast has been prepared for those who are willing to enter into a covenant of peace with Him. The invitation is open to all: “Come!” Will you come today and be blessed?