Imago Scriptura 103 - Isaiah 55 - Flowing
In addition to the conference last week at Montreat, I was blessed by time in just the beautiful Creation in that part of the country. While the colors weren't what I hoped they would be at that time, it was still stunningly beautiful and I was blessed with some wonderful renewing hikes. One of them ended up with me just walking down along the rocks through one of the creeks that fed into Lake Susan. It was there that I found this beautiful little run of water and a few small "waterfalls." I just sat there for about 20 minutes listening and watching the running water. Yes there were a few pics taken in the midst, but it was mostly just sitting there watching and listening. I know it sounds silly, but I kept thinking about how the water just kept coming and coming and coming. It was a wonderful blessed place.
That place came to mind when I read Isaiah 55 this morning.
“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. 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. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live."
When I read those words, they were a blessing to my spirit. Oh, how I long for our world to look like that - where all may experience the abundance that is there. That when people come to the waters, they aren't drinking from waters polluted and spoiled. That when people who have nothing of currency can come and be able to receive not just a ration to allow them to live another day but a feast.
But of course these words aren't necessarily literally about food and drink (although I think that's part of it), but its coming to a place where we are putting our energies and our time into those areas that are truly core to God's desires for our lives. I was starting to work on my sermon for Sunday and one of the areas of reflection that has kept popping up is around the choices we make - where we invest our time and our energies and our monies for that which does not last. We take in that which is not satisfying, that which is not necessary or nutritious, that which is just fleeting. Yet, listening to the things of God, taking in the richness of God, delighting in God, giving ear to God - these will be like that renewing stream that just keeps on flowing and flowing and flowing.