Cedarville Magazine
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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
.
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?
