by Prisca | 30 April 2019 08:46 pm04
Isaiah 55:1-2 (NIV):
“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.”
Blessed be the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ! I welcome you to explore the Scriptures with me as I reflect on this passage. While meditating on these verses, a vivid image formed in my mind a scenario that perfectly mirrors the grace God offers us.
Picture a luxurious 5 star hotel in Dubai. The cost of breakfast alone could amount to hundreds of thousands of shillings, not to mention the charges for lunch, dinner, and accommodation. Now, imagine this: the owner of the hotel, one of the wealthiest individuals, steps forward and invites everyone, regardless of their financial status, to come and enjoy the meal for free. They say, “Come, buy and eat for free!” Strangely, this invitation isn’t simply a gift, but an offer to “purchase” the meal without any cost just like a regular paying customer, you would receive a receipt and be treated exactly the same as those who paid in full.
Now, you might wonder why, in such a high end establishment, there would be so few people showing up. Wouldn’t you expect crowds to flood the hotel? What could be the reason behind the apparent lack of interest? Perhaps they feel unworthy, intimidated by the grandeur of the place, or fear being treated as though they don’t belong? This, too, raises a theological reflection on how we often react to God’s grace.
In a very similar way, God is extending a free invitation to us all. He calls out to us to come and partake of His goodness His spiritual food and drink without charge, but many of us fail to understand the immense value of such an offer. This is exactly what the prophet Isaiah is describing in
Isaiah 55:1-2: “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.”
Just as in the image of the hotel, God invites us to take part in His abundance, offering us eternal life without any financial payment required.
The reason why many fail to respond, however, is because they perceive these free gifts as insignificant. Many fail to recognize the value of salvation, because they are focused on material pursuits that ultimately cannot satisfy their souls. It’s as if God is offering us a treasure, and yet we ignore it, thinking that we would be better off pursuing worldly riches that ultimately leave us empty.
The paradox is that when something is offered freely, we often begin to devalue it. If something is of great worth, but we can receive it for free, we may subconsciously believe it has no value. This principle is seen in many areas of life: for example, nations that owe vast amounts of money often forgive the debts of those who cannot pay, not because they devalue the debt, but because they understand the inability of the debtor to settle the amount. In essence, giving something away freely despite its value becomes the only way to remove the burden.
Think about how much we take for granted our very breath, the rain that nourishes the land, the sun that sustains life. If we were to pay for the life sustaining energy from the sun or even for every breath we take, we would be drowning in debt. Yet, God gives these gifts freely. But the greatest of all is His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
God has provided for our salvation at the highest cost through the life of His only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, and for 33 years, He endured unimaginable trials and temptations, all in preparation for the ultimate act of love: His sacrifice on the cross. The Bible tells us that God Himself paid the price for our sins, tearing the “debt record” that stood against us and declaring it “finished” when Jesus said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30).
This is why salvation is offered to us freely it is priceless, and the price has already been paid. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, we are granted access to eternal life. But how many of us truly understand this offer and accept it?
Jesus is still calling out to us today, just as He did in Isaiah’s time and as He did through His work on the cross:
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!”
The invitation to salvation is still open, but many refuse to respond. The question is, why do we hesitate to accept such a generous gift? Is it because we fail to grasp the depth of its value?
Isaiah warns us in verse 2:
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?”
In other words, why invest our time, energy, and resources into things that will not bring true fulfillment, when God is offering us something far more satisfying and eternal?
In the final chapter of Revelation, we are reminded of the urgency of the invitation:
Revelation 22:17 (NIV):
“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”
This is a time to respond to the call of God. The offer of salvation may not last forever. Time is running out, and the signs of the end times are becoming clearer. Will you accept the free gift of salvation today? Will you place the cross before you and the world behind, choosing to follow Christ and receive the eternal life He offers?
The gospel is free, but it is not without cost to Christ. He bore the full weight of our sins on the cross so that we might be offered salvation without cost to ourselves. The call to accept this free gift is urgent, for none of us knows what tomorrow holds.
So, “come, buy and eat”, not with money, but with faith, trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross.
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