So, I was reading along through Isaiah (one of my favorite books) today, and I found what I thought was a paradox - read below, and see if you know what I'm talking about;
"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 soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live". ~Isaiah 55
As a college student I don't have very much money, when I read "you who have no money", I got very excited because, well, I don't have very much money. How do we buy something that has no cost with no money? I was a little confused, and knew there was something more to these words, so I looked up what the amplified had to say:
1WAIT and listen, everyone who is thirsty! Come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Yes, come, buy [priceless, spiritual] wine and milk without money and without price [simply for the self-surrender that accepts the blessing].
2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your earnings for what does not satisfy? Hearken diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness [the profuseness of spiritual joy].
3Incline your ear [submit and consent to the divine will] and come to Me; hear, and your soul will revive; and I will make an everlasting covenant or league with you, even the sure mercy (kindness, goodwill, and compassion) promised to David.
The only price, the only way we can "buy" this then, is by surrendering ourselves to accept the blessing God wants to freely offer to us. I read a commentary on this (http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/2355.htm), it was very helpful, some of the following thoughts were spurred on by what I read on there...
#1 God is trying to get the attention of us all, if we are thirsty and hear about free water why wouldn't we come get it? If we are TRULY thirsty we will find a way to quench our thirst (which is clearly identified here!)
#2You can't put a price on something that's priceless, so it has to be free if God ever wants us to have his living water (which he totally does!)
#3 If we truly hear God, and consent to his plans for our lives our souls will be enlivened, he will bring what was dead and lifeless to life. Submitting to God we will have the promise of His compassion towards us.
#4 Let's not waste our earnings on things that won't satisfy us... I mean, I don't get it - we, I, know what satisfies - we know it's God, and living in His will, but we still waste SO much time and energy on things that were never meant to satisfy us. Why am I not putting my full effort into God??? Lately there are days where I just go to class, meetings, work, and plan on coming back to my room and just reading my Bible and playing my guitar - it seems to be all I really want, what I really live for, I haven't been too keen on homework lately; God just seems to matter so much more. But I know He wants me to give all that its proper attention, as long as I am first and most often attentive to Him.
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