“Come, everyone who is thirsty, come to the water; and you without silver, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without silver and without cost!"
Isaiah 55:1 (CSB)
There are a number of different invitations from God in the Bible. Today, the invitation to think about is simple. It is, “Come.”
This version of the invitation "Come" is issued from God through the prophet Isaiah. In a beautiful section of this prophetic book, we are invited to have our thirst satisfied freely by God’s nourishment.
The invitation to "Come" is echoed in other familiar parts of Scripture. Jesus spoke to the woman at the well about receiving living waters that satisfy her deepest thirsts (John 4:10-14). He also made a very similar offer publicly at a Jewish feast in Jerusalem. That story is in John 7:37-39. Another echo of this invitation is found in the very last chapter of the Bible, in Revelation 22:17.
Over the course of Scripture, we hear all three members of the Trinity giving this same invitation: “Come.” God the Father in our verse today, Jesus in the gospel of John, the Spirit in Revelation.
That feels significant to me.
What are the requirements for responding to this invitation? Nothing but showing up…empty handed. We don’t need to bring a copy of the invitation to get in the door; we don’t have to adhere to a certain dress code; we don’t need to bring a hostess gift. Nothing is required but showing up with our needs and our thirsts. God will take care of the rest.
If these sorts of invitations from God make your heart sing, you don't want to miss out on a six-chapter exploration of the invitation of God to come to Him and rest. Return and Rest: A Study in Isaiah 30 is currently available for individual or small group study, and you can learn all about that HERE.