Isaiah 55:1-7

God’s Call to Us

“‘Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; and you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you — the sure mercies of David....’Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:1-7 (NKJV)

Like the people of Old Testament Israel, we all too often spend our lives and our incomes on things which do not satisfy. Instead of taking the time to read and hear God’s Word and learn of Him and His ways, we use all our time and energy, focusing on the cares and pleasures of this life. In the end, such things do not satisfy. They leave us empty and desiring more, in the hope that, somehow, we will find happiness.

Again, as He pleaded with the people of Old Testament Israel, He pleads with us: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; and you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you — the sure mercies of David.”

God called to His people of old to repent of their sinful ways and return to Him. He promised to make with them an everlasting covenant – the sure mercies of David, which pointed ahead to that Son of David who would accomplish their redemption and establish an everlasting kingdom.

And God calls upon us – even pleads with us – to turn back to Him before it is too late! He says to us too: “Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

The hour of our death and the day of Christ’s return are drawing ever closer. Then it will be too late to repent; the hour of our judgment will have come! While there is yet time – while God is still near to us with His gracious offer of forgiveness and life in Christ – He would have us forsake our sinful thoughts and ways and turn unto Him for mercy and forgiveness.

When, by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, we turn back to Him, God promises to be merciful unto us and abundantly pardon. No matter how great our sin, God promises to forgive us for all because of the holy life and bitter sufferings and death in our stead of His only begotten Son – and the son of David – Christ Jesus our Lord. God desires that you, and each and every one of us, repent of our sins and return to Him for pardon and forgiveness now, before it is too late!

O LORD God, by the gracious working of Your Holy Spirit, grant that we live in continual repentance and be found trusting in Jesus Christ our Savior when our earthly life comes to a close. We ask this for the sake of Christ's innocent sufferings and death in our stead and because of His glorious resurrection. Amen.

[Devotion from The Still Small Voice, www.thestillsmallvoice.com ]

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