“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!”

— ISAIAH 55:1

I have watched you, Lord, through the lens of my own desperation. Bills coming due, income uncertain. I have watched you meet my needs, then go beyond the need to pleasures. Then go beyond the pleasures to blessings, then beyond the blessings to extravagance. It overwhelmed me.

What I didn’t realize was that, in the extravagance, I shifted my sights to the blessings rather than to their Source. I began to look to see what else you would do instead of keeping my eyes on you. You somehow became secondary to what I was receiving.

The subtlety of blessing is that it is good; it is meant to be enjoyed. It isn’t meant to replace the pleasure of intimacy with God. Rather, it is designed to enhance it. So the question comes down to: When abundance becomes the norm, how can I keep my soul needy rather than distracted?

“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy . . . without money and without cost” (Isaiah 55:1). What enables me to purchase extravagance? It is my willingness, my thirst. It draws me to want more. It doesn’t cease to be needy because it recognizes what is good and also what does not satisfy (v2).

Don’t become so enamoured with the blessing that you pursue it rather than the Source.

His invitation, though whispered, still penetrates to the place where I can hear him. “Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good . . . Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you . . .” (v2–3).

SCRIPTURE TO REFLECT ON: ISAIAH 55:1–3

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Can you remind yourself of times when God has gone beyond meeting your needs and your pleasures to overwhelming you with blessings and extravagance?

2. How will you pursue the Source of blessing today rather than the blessing itself? 

Dave Collins was raised in Vietnam, the son of missionaries. Based on lessons learned as a
pastor, missionary, educator, international development worker, and senior executive, he
founded Paradigm Ministries in 2007. Discover more at www.paradigmministries.ca.