Come to the Waters

Yesterday we reflected on a passage of scripture from the book of Isaiah (55:1-3). I continue that theme today.

I was listening to a podcast by Andrew Root the other day. He is a theologian, and church consultant. He was talking about how in the context of the church, as in much of life, we’ve been made to think that more is better… More members, more building, more youth, more programs means better. But it is just not true. We’ve also been made to think that contentment and inner peace come through exterior means, by exterior validation, or by things… and that’s not true either.

This feeling that you have to have more, that you have to be more, can lead to this inner sickness, a feeling of anxiety, a feeling of lacking… a feeling that something’s wrong…. An uneasiness in the soul…. Do you ever feel that?

And there is also no doubt that today our culture feeds this. Marketing experts study human psychology. They know this about us, and they often play on this longing. They tell us almost relentlessly: If you just had this… If you just could drive this…. If you just could do this, experience this…. then…. Then, you’ll be at peace. Then you’ll be happy.

And while social media is great for some things, it is terrible for others. It allows us to curate our lives in such a way that we show only the superlatives, the highlights. And we find ourselves, looking at other people and the lives they present, and feeling woefully inadequate: Why can’t I live like that? Why can’t I take surf trips like that? Wow, these people look so happy all the time…But of course, what we don’t get to see is the daily grind… We don’t see the arguments or struggles or the ordinary routines… Those things aren’t shown…

It is here that God speaks to us again through Isaiah: Come to me. Come to the waters of life. Here, the provisions come with no costs. Here, there is a veritable feast laid out simply for the taking…. You don’t have to do more. You don’t have to be more. Come.

Let us pray: We turn to you even now, O God. Fill us with your healing grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Holy God, As we sit in your presence, even now, we recognize we are at the water’s edge. Fill in us those places of longing, those places of hurt, those feelings of inadequacy… Wash over us with your grace… Amen.