Tuesday's Thoughts: True Satisfaction

I was reading in Isaiah this week, which I love.  Isaiah is so rich with good words from the Lord.  I am always challenged and encouraged by this book.  I was reading in chapter 55 and camped out on verses 1-3


“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.
“Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And delight yourself in abundance.
“Incline your ear and come to Me.
Listen, that you may live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
According to the faithful mercies shown to David.

There is so much good news in this passage that encouraged me and a lot that brought up a list of questions to ask myself.  First - the good news.

Every one is invited to come to God  

EVERY ONE  

No exceptions  

That means you and me and every other person in existence.  Now that is a wide open invitation.  When you look around yourself, remind yourself that everyone you see is invited to partake of God's riches.  

Yep - even that person.

This message is free.  You don't have to have a certain balance in your bank account or live in a house or drive a nice car.  In fact, your bank account balance is irrelevant.  It could be plenty and it could be small.  It just doesn't matter.

There is no satisfaction apart from the Lord.  

NONE  

Everything else will fade away.  The thrill of getting whatever it was you wanted it short lived.  It simply isn't enough. When we seek satisfaction apart from the Lord, we find ourselves seeking more and more.  Once a goal is reached - we still hunger for more.  One we fill ourselves up, we quickly find ourselves empty again.  

There is no satisfaction apart from the Lord.

The Lord wants to covenant with me.  His faithful mercies are the binding agent.  He is committed to me.  His end is always held up.  He always keeps His promises.  Only in Him will I find what I need - what indeed I crave.

Because when you get right down to it - what we need is  

love, 

security,

grace,

mercy 

and the forgiveness of our Heavenly Father.  

We need relationship.  

We need to hear His voice.  

We need Him.

So - that leads me to ask myself (and perhaps you can ask yourself) the following questions:


How am I trying to purchase satisfaction?

Am I snacking on the fare of this world while the Lord is inviting me to a banquet of His abundance?


How and I trying to buy what the Lord wants to freely give me?


Am I really listening to Him?

Am I delighting in what He chooses to give me?


Am I delighting in the abundance of my relationship with Jesus?

I so want to "get it".  I want to embrace the richness of my relationship with Jesus and live it out in a way that will truly impact those around me.  I want to invite my neighbors to this banquet and enjoy sitting next to them.  I want to bring light to the dark places around me.  I want my delight in the Lord to spill over onto my world.

Come to the waters . . .