Reverend Richard Wagner
March 24, 2019 Third Sunday in Lent
Readings
Psalm Psalm 63:1-8
Old Testament Isaiah 55:1-9
Sermon "Calling Upon Him Who is Well Versed,
In Filling Hunger and Quenching Thirst"
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Thursday's Thought for Sunday's Service
“All of you who are thirsty, come to the water! Whoever has no money, come, buy food and eat! Without money, at no cost, buy wine and milk! Why spend money for what isn’t food, and your earnings for what doesn’t satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is good; enjoy the richest of feasts. Listen and come to me; listen, and you will live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful loyalty to David. Look, I made him a witness to the peoples, a prince and commander of peoples. Look, you will call a nation you don’t know, a nation you don’t know will run to you because of the Lord your God, the holy one of Israel, who has glorified you. Seek the Lord when he can still be found; call him while he is yet near. Let the wicked abandon their ways and the sinful their schemes. Let them return to the Lord so that he may have mercy on them, to our God, because he is generous with forgiveness. My plans aren’t your plans, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than your plans.” (Isaiah 55:1–9, CEB)
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Physical hunger and thirst are powerful motivators. Similarly, is acquisition of wealth. But their satisfaction is temporary. An invitational methodology to something better, is found within this scriptural teaching. It comes by responding to the Lord.
As such, faith practice does not accumulate much money. It doesn’t relieve the recurrence of daily appetites. It does, however, encourage a positive outlook, an expectant way forward. Walking by the Spirit, convincing steps emerge, often marked by forgiveness, steeped in goodness.
When in doubt, consider trusting in the eternal as a better alternative than feeling lost in a temporary place. Heavenly hope also helps maintain a direction toward wisdom and mercy.
Pastor Rich Wagner
