Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Isaiah 55:1 Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat ...
DRINK WATER EVERY DAY
The imagery Isaiah was inspired by the Spirit to use in this text is that of a merchant who has put up his wares for sale at a marketplace. He pictures this merchant as calling out to passers by and urging them to purchase from Him the commodities he has on sale.
By the merchant the Lord is picturing Himself. He's the One who issues the gracious invitation to any and all to come and receive from Him the blessings of His Word.
Why did He use WATER to symbolize these blessings? The answer is obvious when you think about it. Just as our bodies need H20 water to survive (try going without it for a few days!), so our souls need the water of His Word on an every-day basis. We need the refreshment that comes from the Gospel which tells how our Savior rescued us from the guilt of our sins and from the punishment of eternal death. He uses this "water" to reinvigorate our spirits as we make our way through the bone-dry desert of this sin-torn world. Simon Peter was "right on" when he told Jesus (in response to His question: "Do you also want to go away from Me as so many others are doing?"): "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).
Do you carry a water bottle with you as you go through your day and do you sip on it regularly? Are you following the advice of nutritionists who recommend that you drink at least eight eight-ounce cups of water every day? That's great. Keep it up. Your body needs it. Always remember, though, that what's even more important for life here and hereafter is the water Jesus offers you in His Word by which He reinvigorates and restores your soul.
See, the streams of living waters Springing from eternal love
Well supply God's sons and daughters And all fear of want remove.
Who can faint while such a river Ever flows their thirst t'assuage--
Grace, which, like the Lord, the Giver, Never fails from age to age?
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 469:2)
