I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 52-56.

    Yesterday I wrote that I thought the suffering servant references in the passage could be applied to those who serve God today as well as applying them to Jesus. I still think that is true. The same cannot be said for the suffering servant described in today’s passage. The suffering servant whom Isaiah describes in today’s passage is Jesus, the Messiah. I am forever grateful for the suffering to which He submitted. And I am shamed by the way I have failed to acknowledge Him at times in my life (“turned my back on Him”). I am shamed by the things I have done which required Him to suffer as He did.

    Now I come to chapter 55, which is God’s call to us, and our call to those around us.

Is anyone thirsty?
Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.

If we come to God and listen to what He says we will find life. God is calling us to seek Him now, not next week, not tomorrow. Drop what your doing and seek Him. Let us change our wicked ways at once and turn to God. “Seek the Lord while you can find Him.” That phrase contains the implication that our time is limited. But I want to point out that not only is our time limited, but so is that of those around us. If we do not call them to turn to God NOW, it may be too late.

    I thought that what I wrote above was going to be the thread I followed as I wrote about the rest of this passage. But then I came to chapter 55 verse 8 (I prefer the NIV here because its phrasing more clearly expresses what I am feeling about this passage today):

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.

How true this is! When we look at the wicked in this world, our tendency is to hate them and desire them to experience the full weight of God’s judgment. But God tells us to give them the same message which He gave us: “Come, all you who are thirsty.” Let us not be afraid to speak God’s word, to teach God’s word, and to preach God’s word. He has sent His word out and it WILL accomplish the purpose for which He sent it. It has the power to transform the evil in this world. Even the vilest of offender will be transformed by hearing God’s word. Let us take every opportunity we are given to spread that word.