Cedarville Magazine, Summer 2013

Cedarville Magazine | 13 Isaiah begins chapter 55 saying, “Come, everyone ...”.The force of this announcement is like that of a thousand trumpets. This is for all who thirst and for all who are hungry! This loud-and-clear invitation promises that what is being offered will satisfy our deepest cravings. The apostle John wrote, “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” ’ ” (John 7:37–38). Three key words — thirst, come, and drink — sum up the invitation to the Gospel. This invitation is addressed to people without means to buy what they so desperately crave. “He who has no money” is invited to buy and eat. At first glance, we might question how someone could purchase anything without money. Nothing can be purchased without payment, which is exactly the point. We are able to come without money, without anything of value, because our bill has already been paid. The invitation is extended to everyone, and God wants everyone to hear it. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life; whoever (emphasis mine) comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). Abundant, free provision is made to embrace every need, and the supply is infinitely unlimited. Water, wine, and milk flow to satisfy the deepest cravings of our hearts. Isaiah 55:2 speaks to our folly by interrogating us. “Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy?” Life is short. Eternity is long. Why do we spend our limited days craving wealth, fame, and pleasure? It is not bread. It does not satisfy. Conversely, instead of wasted attempts to satisfy our hunger, God says, “Just listen” (literally translated “listen listeningly”). Do nothing but listen. Give full attention to God’s Word, and let your heart drink in what you hear Him saying. This is not fast food. These are not empty carbohydrates. God provides a healthy menu that truly satisfies. He invites all of us to delight ourselves and be nourished with life- giving food. Refreshed by His Grace John Piper’s 1997 book, A Hunger for God, is a unique and challenging read. Though it primarily deals with desiring God through fasting and prayer, its principles clamor for our attention. He correctly states, “What masters us has become our God” (p. 9), and “What we hunger for most, we worship” (p. 10). He accurately contends that our appetite dictates the direction of our lives. Our stomachs (literally and figuratively) can be our sovereign. Too often we crave things that become the enemy of our souls. Mark 4:19 says it well: “But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things (my emphasis) enter in and choke the Word, and it proves unfruitful.” Piper goes on to say that the only thing that will finally defeat this enemy is a deeper hunger for God. I think he has hit the nail on the head. For what do we hunger and thirst? How do we attempt to satisfy our hunger and thirst? Isn’t it apparent that we too often settle for that which is not bread? Isaiah 55:1–2 primarily speak of God’s gift of grace. He offers it to all who will heed His Word and receive His free offer. If you have never been refreshed at the well of God’s grace, having never placed your trust in Jesus Christ, come and drink freely. You need bring nothing with you. Simply come, buy, and eat — your bill has already been paid. If you are a member of the family of God, the invitation extends to you as well. For what do you hunger and thirst? How do you satisfy that desire? Remember what the prophet Isaiah said: Listen! Let your heart drink in the Word of God. Nothing, nothing, nothing else compares! I guarantee you’ll never get food poisoning. His provision will delight the palate of your soul. Robert Rohm ’68 is Vice President for Christian Ministries at Cedarville University. He received his M.R.E. from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, and he has served at Cedarville since 1986. Rohm and his wife, Lynn (Amstutz) ’68 reside in Cedarville. You may contact him at rohmr@cedarville.edu. The Haunting by Julie L. (Stackhouse) Moore ’87 “The Haunting” from Slipping Out of Bloom by Julie L. Moore, published in 2010 by WordTech Imprint, Cincinnati, Ohio You wake this morning and again it is there, that gnawing spirit like the mourning dove atop your roof cooing ultimate questions. And every time, you stop, listen: What if there is more to dawn than just skin of sun or breath of wheat? What if there is more to sound than just thrush of tongue or fur of throat? And what if there is more to stomach, or soul, more than just hunger, thirst?