“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free!” Isaiah 55:1
Thirst. The one word that describes the parched soul of humanity more than all others. If you’ve ever been dehydrated, you know that weakness and weariness accompany it’s presence. “I’m thirsty!” A desperate declaration of dependancy. I’m convinced that children all over the world are in on a conspiracy called the bed time routine. It goes like this… Allow mom and dad to get you to bed like normal. Wait just a few minutes until after your parents tuck you in and pray. Then just as they get situated to enjoy the rest of their night together, shout “mom, I’m thirsty,” or “dad, I can’t sleep because I’m thirsty.” Yes, thirst doesn’t just exist. Thirst hurts. Thirst puts us into survival mode. We stop making decisions out of our humanity and begin acting out of instinct like animals. Thirst is what Jesus came to quench. Let me say it again so that it hits your heart this time: Thirst is what Jesus came to quench.
In every scripture there’s a story. It may not be overtly told, but it’s there nonetheless. Why? Primarily because the scripture was written by a storyteller. What’s the story behind Isaiah 55:1? Thirst. It’s a story of deep and emotional pain. Bad choices. Missed opportunities. Lost friends. Recycled failures. It’s a story of lack and need, but it’s also a counterintuitive story of kindness and invitation. A plot twist where the recipient has nothing to offer in return. Isaiah 55 in it’s entirety is the offer of wealth in place of poverty. It’s the offer of a king to a peasant. More surprisingly, it’s not simply the story of an invitation to drink, but a recruiting into a cause. There is an emphatic desire of the wealthy for the impoverished to come and partner. “Join the cause of satisfaction and freedom,” cries the Author. The story offers choices of wine and milk- for FREE. The story is filled with hope for the hopeless of quenching a thirst that seems insurmountable.
There is hope in the thirsty season and the unquenched soul. It may feel dry and barren for the moment. But if you can but hear the storyteller asking His question: “Is anyone thirsty?” then you will be able to remember that Jesus came to quench thirsty souls. If you can hear the question you can have faith for the quenching.
Is anyone thirsty? Drink Deeply.
Josh
