Isaiah 55:1-3
1 All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk!
2 Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare.
3 Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David.
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God invites us to come to him, to lay our burdens at his feet, and to give over control of our lives to him. As verse 2 says, we spend so much time fighting that – spending our time, money, and effort on things that fail to satisfy. In reality, all we need is Christ. Check the end of verse 2: if we heed Him (ie, remain in him), we will eat well, and delight in rich fare.
We are to come heedfully, and listen, that we may have life. Father Martin did a great job describing this image in his homily this weekend. We can lay down our burdens – anxiety, fear, stress … ANYTHING – at Christ’s feet. He will accept the burden. If we can just as individuals trust God enough to give over control to Him, our paths become so much straighter. Here’s a little more Scripture to reinforce the point.
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Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not;
6 In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths.
Matthew 11:28-30
28 "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
