come to the waters // a devotional, pt. 1

Hey y’all!

Life has been crazy but good lately. Everyone talks about how crazy junior year is, and I don’t think I believed them until now. XD It’s a heck of a thing. I know that I have it relatively better on the insanity scale compared to other people, but gee it still feels like a lot. 😀

Anyway, in the last days of summer, I made myself sit down and write a devotional that I had promised the prayer/care pastor of our church. I promised to write it in May. I wrote it in mid-July. We writers are known for procrastinating until the absolute last minute. I did that. It wasn’t bright. XD

I sent my final copy to him a few weeks ago, and now it’s done and waiting to get his final approval. While that happens, I decided that I would post it here. I want to do this because I believe that the devotional has something for all of us. I also know that most of you won’t get to read this devotional in the physical booklet format so I’m doing an “e-book version” (lol) on my blog! I’m so excited to share this with you!

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I believe God uses young people to do great things. Just as with David, Josiah, Mary, and Timothy, if you are truly seeking and listening to God, He will do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”

This is a devotional about Isaiah 55. This is about an invitation from the High King calling His children home for a feast. He is a good and righteous king, and He loves his children more than anything. This invitation tells of his closeness. He longs for intimacy with his kids. He wants to talk with them, and when they initiate conversation with Him, He is overcome with joy. 

He will stop at nothing to get His precious children back home safely. He loves them. It isn’t just a superficial love. This love breaks walls down. This love crosses mountain ranges and deserts in search of wayward children. This love sweeps up nations and tears down kings. And when we encounter His love, we are changed forever. 

This devotional is primarily a starting point. It is an invitation. Like all invitations, you have a choice. Will you say “yes” and or will you say “no thanks”? You are free to say no. But, oh, how He wants you to say yes and step into more with Him. When saying “yes” to more with God, there is abundant freedom and joy. I encourage you to truly press in and talk with God throughout this devotional. He delights in you, friend. He loves you more than the world. He will never turn His back on you. He will always run to you, ready to give you a big bear hug. He died for you. He wants to go on this journey with you. Just say “yes”. 

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Just Come. (Is 55:1-2)

1 “Come, everyone who is thirsty,

come to the waters;

and you without money,

come, buy, and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without cost!

2 Why do you spend money on what is not food,

and your wages on what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

and you will enjoy the choicest of foods.

These two verses are an invitation into something deeper than just knowing about God. It is an invitation to relationship. So what are these so-called “waters”? In John 7:37-39, we see Jesus say something similar to v.1 in the above passage. 

37 On the last and most important day of the festival, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink! 38 The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” 39 He said this about the Spirit. Those who believed in Jesus were going to receive the Spirit, for the Spirit had not yet been received because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

John 7:37-39

Jesus is calling us to press into Him. He is offering the same invitation with different wording: I want you to go deeper with Me. Whether or not people ever comprehended the depth of what He was offering, He was promising that when His Spirit came, people would not leave unchanged. This Spirit is the key. This is how the believer interacts or “tunes in” with the Father. 

The Holy Spirit is promised to every child of the King. This is our birthright. It’s unfortunate to see so many neglect this opportunity. We have a direct connection to the throne room of Heaven. In v.2 of Isaiah 55, we see even more of a call. He sets it up very logically, but still personally. 

Child, why are you wasting time on things that don’t matter? Listen to me, and grow with Me. The rewards will be great.

Why settle for things that don’t last when you can have infinitely better? This is part of the invitation I mentioned earlier. His goodness is free for us; anyone and everyone can come. His Spirit is a gift to those who actively choose to partner with Him, to those who surrender to Him. And the best part is? We have rights as His kids to ask Him for more of it. He freely bestows it on us. 

God, we say yes to Your invitation into more. We acknowledge Your sovereignty and Your grace. You made a way when there was no way. You bathed us in freedom, and we are now Your children. Forgive us when we waste time. We want to drink from Your waters. Help us listen more intently than we ever have. We are free to ask You for more. Give us more of You, God. Thank you for Your crazy, radical love, Abba.

Next Steps:

• God, how do you want me to respond to this “invitation” right now?
• God, what are some specific ways that I can go deeper into Your love.
• God, where are the areas where I may be wasting time?

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song of the week:

Now go forth, mis amigos and amigas, and smile. Your day is just beginning. Make the best of it. Don’t procrastinate. Work hard. Make me proud. 🙂

Love you all,

Madeleine