An Invitation (1)

I mentioned Isaiah 55 in my previous post—a beautiful poetic invitation to consider coming back to God and receiving his peace. This was first written to a bedraggled people exiled from their homeland for two full generations, now given the opportunity to return.

Come, all you who are thirsty,

         come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

         come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

         without money and without cost.

² Why spend money on what is not bread,

         and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

         and you will delight in the richest of fare.

I remember once, running out of water while climbing Mt. Garibaldi in British Columbia. It took a couple sun-baked hours to hike down from near the top to the first open stream of water. I remember falling down on my knees, and sticking my head in the stream, sucking water in—the most refreshing drink I have ever had!

God extends an invitation to a thirsty world—a world entangled in violence, conflict, lust, and greed, to come to his fresh waters to drink. And to come to his table to freely feast. In the end, what he offers is the best of the best—and it’s free. We just have to get off the out-of-control merry-go-round, turn off the mind numbing music, and let his peace envelop our souls.