Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-9 (NRSV)
“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?”
This is a question that all of us should ask ourselves each and every day. Why do we do things that do not make us happy or do not fulfill our spiritual needs? Why do we ignore God and indulge in unsatisfactory actions?
The theme for this week is to “seek the Lord and be fruitful.” Seek the Lord while he may found; call on him while he is near. If seeking God in a holistic and loving way provides the spiritual nourishment that our souls need, really, why would we not?
Lent is a season where we are sometimes asked to give something up and seek the sober realization of what it means that Christ gave his life for us. Instead of giving something up for Lent, what I do is make a gratitude list for each day of the season. I write the little things that I fall in love with each day, and the people with whom I am grateful to spend time. My action of recognizing the love in my own heart allows me to understand a part of the love that God has for me. Seek the Lord and be fruitful with love and spirit, and the Lord shall bestow on you the ability to engage in that love and gratitude that praise Him the highest.
So instead of wasting time on fruitless actions that do not satisfy, put your heart into the season and seek God through gratitude.
Scripture: Isaiah 55:1-9 (NRSV)
Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you that have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. 3Incline your ear, and come to me; listen, so that you may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. 4See, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. 5See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
6Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; 7let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.