你有甚么渴求？
以赛亚书五十五章1至13节
1“你们一切干渴的都当就近水来，没有银钱的也可以来。你们都来，买了吃，
不用银钱，不用价值，也来买酒和奶。
2你们为何花钱（注：原文作“平银”）买那不足为食物的？用劳碌得来的买那不使人饱足的呢？你们要留意听我的话，就能吃那美物，得享肥甘，心中喜乐。
3你们当就近我来，侧耳而听，就必得活。我必与你们立永约，就是应许大卫那可靠的恩典。
4我已立他作万民的见证，为万民的君王和司令。
5你素不认识的国民，你也必召来；素不认识你的国民，也必向你奔跑，都因耶和华你的神以色列的圣者，因为他已经荣耀你。”
6当趁耶和华可寻找的时候寻找他，相近的时候求告他。
7恶人当离弃自己的道路，不义的人当除掉自己的意念。归向耶和华，耶和华就必怜恤他；当归向我们的神，因为神必广行赦免。
8耶和华说：“我的意念非同你们的意念，我的道路非同你们的道路。
9天怎样高过地，照样，我的道路高过你们的道路，我的意念高过你们的意念。
10雨雪从天而降，并不返回，却滋润地土，使地上发芽结实，使撒种的有种，使要吃的有粮。
11我口所出的话也必如此，决不徒然返回，却要成就我所喜悦的，在我发它去成就（注：“发它去成就”或作“所命定的”）事上必然亨通。
12你们必欢欢喜喜而出来，平平安安蒙引导；大山小山必在你们面前发声歌唱，田野的树木也都拍掌。
13松树长出，代替荆棘，番石榴长出，代替蒺藜。这要为耶和华留名，作为永远的证据，不能剪除。”
信息分享
神以非常简单的语句发出邀请。祂谈到信心，这是全人类共通的理念。祂用的另一个观念是「喝水」，或者更确切讲是「口渴」。所有人都知道甚么是口渴，也知道甚么是喝水。神向人发出了一个极美的邀请：「一切口渴的人都可以到我这里来。」口渴一词描述一种迫切的需要，口渴比饥饿更严重，每个人都有一两次这样的经历。神说：「你的人生若有甚么迫切需要，希望得着满足的，到我这里来，我要满足你的需要。」
人有很多渴求，例如爱、友谊。有些人渴望有身份、地位、权力，并愿意不惜一切代价来得到；许多人渴求知识，有些人渴求所谓成功；还有些人心灵渴求，他们或许生活很不如意，而希望他们的需要可得到永久解决。一些人为了满足渴求而不择手段；也有一些人会压抑或隐藏自己的渴求。
神怎样满足人的渴求呢？祂用活水满足我们。任何生物都需要水；我们也同样需要神的恩典。水有洁净的作用；神的恩典也能洁净我们的罪。水能使人复苏和重新振作；基督所赐的活水同样有这个效用。我们还需要甚么呢？更宝贵的是，神将这活水白白赐给我们。神对我们说：「你们来吧！不用花钱的！我白白赐给你们。」这岂不是你知道的最伟大的邀请吗？
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING LATELY?
Isaiah 55: 1-13
1 “Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—
The sure mercies of David.
4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people,
A leader and commander for the people.
5 Surely you shall call a nation you do not know,
And nations who do not know you shall run to you,
Because of the LORD your God,
And the Holy One of Israel;
For He has glorified you.”
6 Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
12 “For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the LORD for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
Message
God uses very simple terms in His invitations. He speaks about faith, something which is a universal principle. Another term He uses is “drinking”, or more particularly “thirsting”. Everyone knows what it is to be thirsty. Everyone knows what drinking is. Here is one of God’s wonderful invitations, “all you who are thirsty come.” Thirst is a desperate word, a most descriptive word. Physical thirst can be even more serious than hunger. Everyone has experienced it at one time or another. God is saying, “If there is a desperate need in your life for something that will really satisfy, come to me and I will meet that need.”
People thirst for many things, love and friendship for example. Others thirst for status, position, power, and will do anything to gain these. Many thirst for knowledge. Others thirst for so called success. Still others have a heart longing; they may have an unsatisfied life and long for some permanent solution to their need. Some try to satisfy these longings in various ways. Others try to stifle them or ignore them.
What does God offer? Living water. Water is absolutely necessary for all forms of life. So is Divine grace. Water is a great cleansing agent. So is what God offers. It can cleanse away the stain of sin. Water refreshes and revives. So does Christ. What more do we need? And best of all it is free. “Come,” says God, “and take what I offer without money and without cost.” Isn’t that the greatest invitation you have heard of?