Obey Your Thirst 3

Isaiah 55:1

“Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.”

This week is our last of a mini-series of three trying to establish a pre-season fitness foundation in grace. We’ve been looking at the three metaphors for drink in this verse, and having considered water and milk we come to the last (and probably my favourite) wine. We’ve said that everyone has three fundamental needs that are symbolised by the three drinks in this verse: water - a need for refreshment and forgiveness, milk - a need to be challenged and to grow, and wine - a need for joy, excitement and celebration.

We all remember from childhood the saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”. But it’s more serious than this - all work and no play will lead to us drying up and losing our capacity for joy and happiness. We all have an inner child in us, a part of us that is made for exhilaration and fun. There is nothing wrong with this; in fact throughout the bible it’s a crucial part of the Christian life, often represented by the metaphor of wine. Think of how God responded when you became a Christian; “…bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.” (Luke 15:23) Think of how heaven responds when someone else becomes a Christian “…I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10) Think of how Paul responded when he had a vision of heaven “…and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter” (2 Corinthians 12:4), it was so amazing that he was forbidden to express it here on earth! Think of the repeated metaphors used for heaven being an enormous banquet or party where the wine of the new covenant flows freely and we enjoy every lavish gift that God has to offer. And finally, just think of what you or I have done to deserve this. God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, stepping down from his throne in heaven, meeting us in all our sinfulness and weakness. He raised us out of the dust by dying for us on the cross so that by his grace we might be given the place of honour at the banquet in heaven and rejoices with him forever. That’s why we’re told that those who believe in him are filled with a joy inexpressible and filled with glory, because when you start to grasp even a tiny bit of how amazing this grace is, it fills your heart with joy and happiness.

We all remember the great moments of victory in sport, whether it’s winning the Ashes Series, the World Cup, or individual success. The celebrations live long in our memory, but sadly with time, the excitement fades, and we know we have to move on. However, grace is a constant dynamic in the Christian life, and the excitement and joy that flow from understanding God’s grace to us will never end. So let yourself get excited about God’s grace to you, and keep asking God to fill you with joy as you become aware of his love for you more and more deeply, because the very best moments of celebration in this world will not come close to comparing to the very worst that heaven has to offer.

Pete