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We invite you to join us several times each week as we engage in worship and Scripture - with thoughts and devotions written by our family at CEC. Use it to spark your time in God's Word!
“Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the book widens and deepens with our years.” -Charles Spurgeon
SCRIPTURE & DEVOTION: Isaiah 55:1-4
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.
Give ear and come to me; listen,that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
Water fountain or waterfall?
One of the things I miss most right now is being able to say to someone, "Hey, why don't you come over and hang out?" You're invited. Come. When someone says come, it always means closer - come here, come closer. It's an invitation.
Come. The Hebrew word is Ho. A calling out - crying out so that all will hear the invitation. Not "I hope you come."It's a desperate plea from the one who knows what is being offered.
All you who are thirsty. They say that when you're trying to lose weight and think that you're hungry, you are actually thirsty. We often don't even realize our true need is to be hydrated. We search for something else to fill that void. God has what we truly need - come to the waters. Water is what satisfies our thirst. This invitation is for EVERYONE - ALL.
Come to the waters. Several years ago as I was participating at the Cannon Beach prayer summit for pastors and women in ministry, God put a picture in my mind of how I sometimes approach Him. The picture was a drinking fountain. A drinking fountain isn't something we usually spend much time at. And especially now - how many people have touched it? Did they put their mouth on it? I digress. A drinking fountain represents a quick drink - I run by and take a quick drink so that I can be on my way. Sometimes that's how I am with God and spending time with Him. I take my quick drink - but He's inviting me to a waterfall. He's inviting me to the waters where I can get my fill, stand with open my mouth wide, and be filled with Him to overflowing. He's inviting me to be completely immersed and totally refreshed.
Maybe you have more time on your hands than usual during this time of physical isolation and distancing. Maybe you have less. The invitation still stands. I want to stand under the waterfall and allow God to satisfy my thirst, not run by the drinking fountain for a quick drink.
Karen Callis
Prayer:
Lord,
Right now we are all facing hardships and trials during this time - in many different ways. Some with health, some with job loss, some with family relationship strain - no one is immune. Your invitation to us - to me - is to "come." We can't earn it or buy it - and we try to find what we need in other ways - but your offer still stands. Come. ALL who are thirsty - Come to the waters - to the place where you will be fully satisfied.