The Free Gift of God’s Transformative Nutrition
Devotional from Pastor Larry
Our Old Testament reading for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost (August 2, 2026) curiously says,
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. (Isaiah 55:1)
This invitation reminds us of Christ’s own words to the woman at the well: “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13–14).
Scripture shines light on Scripture and teaches us that these are Gospel invitations from our Lord. Water, wine and milk represent God’s good and abundant gifts of salvation, forgiveness and eternal life. Grace upon grace in Christ. Indeed, there are sacramental implications here, too. In these words, we think of the cleansing waters of our Baptisms. And in the wine, we consider the Lord’s Supper, and the precious blood of Christ shed for us for the forgiveness of all our sins. As our Isaiah passage continues, we learn that consuming God’s spiritual food is connected with hearing God’s Word, listening to Him...
Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to Me; hear, that your soul may live... (Is 55:2–3).
The lifegiving water, the joy and grace of God’s priceless offer of wine and milk, the rich food of His kingdom - all free, secured for us by Jesus Christ. No quantity of gold or silver can purchase what Christ has done. No amount of good works can earn it! We can only accept it as a gift. We receive our Savior’s finished work of redemption by faith. And faith is a gift from God, too, which comes by hearing the Good News of Christ proclaimed in our ears. Strangely enough, we drink Christ’s spiritual water, wine and milk, and eat of God’s “rich foods” by “inclining our ears of faith toward the Word of the Lord that endures forever. And it’s FREE, paid for by Christ’s perfect Sacrifice for us.
Why do we try to satiate our spiritual hunger and thirst with “food” that perishes? Why do we continue to seek meaning and identity in earthly things that pass away? Jesus at the feast in John chapter 7, stands and cries out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” Revelation 22 declares, “[L]et the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” In the hearing of these words, we have the invitation of Jesus to draw near to Him, and to receive His good gifts that truly satisfy our deepest and eternal hunger. Jesus is the Bread of Life. Taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)
