Isaiah 55 begins with the words, "Come, everyone who thirsts..." As I read that, I can't help but ask myself two simple questions: Am I thirsty? And where have I turned lately to satisfy that thirst?
I'm conscious of a thirst that causes me to open my Bible to read such verses. It's a desire to find assurance and encouragement in something solid and reliable. But I have to admit that it's not typically a raging thirst. And I'm also conscious of a craving for other things -- things less solid and reliable -- hoping that I'll find some satisfaction in them. I don't mean the things that we'd all consider brazen sins, but rather, the simple earthly things that we'd all consider harmless until they became too consuming. In other words, I can say no to the brazen, and then pursue the blasé. It might be an innocent thing like a book or my blog, which aren't bad things. But if I neglect my life with God in my desire to pursue them, they become imposters for what deserves to be my true source of satisfaction: my pursuit of God and His ways.
The thirst is there whether I'm conscious of it or not. The vital question is where I am turning to satisfy it? Isaiah 55:1-2 says, "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!... Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in rich food." God freely offers us an abundance of that which deeply satisfies. The world charges money for things that don't satisfy. We simply need to choose what we'll turn to for the life we all crave.
© 2009 by Ken Peters
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