Isaiah 55:1-11
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.
4 As I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of nations,
5 So shall you summon a nation you knew not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, Because of the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you.
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near.
7 Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; Let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
9 As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.
10 For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down And do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, Giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats,
11 So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it
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This is from the Easter Vigil, something like the 24th reading. (Just kidding, Msgr.) I love this passage. I'll just give some quick thoughts:
- Come to the water. Christ is the living water, the water of baptism, of cleansing, of spiritual rebirth.
- Come. It's free. Don't waste your time and money on useless things, or poor imitations. Come to Him, and delight in rich fare.
- The gates of heaven will open to all, both Jews and Gentiles.
- Seek the Lord while he may be found. We only are given a certain amount of time. We are reminded to use that time well, while we still have it. He is generous and forgiving -- come to Him.
- v8 - 9: I laughed out loud when I saw this. In yesterday's message, I said that I don't think I'll ever really understand why the plan of salvation had to work the way it did. God's answer is right here, and it's the EXACT same answer he gave to Job. "Matt, you may think you're smart, but my ways are above yours, and my thoughts are above yours. So give it up, dude."
- v10-11: The Word of God has a life of it's own. It rains upon the world, and it does not return void. It WILL achieve the end for which it was sent.
