Isaiah 55:1-2 (NKJV)
[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.
One may wonder, Can Jesus be bought when He is a free gift? The answer is yes, but not by human means of exchange. If you have had something good once and you liked it, chances are you will buy more of it. Proverbs 23:23 says “Buy the truth, and sell it not…”. Our first currency for receiving Christ was the exercise of faith in receiving Him into our hearts (Hebrews 11:6). However our experience of Him does not stop at the cross as it is meant to continue into a journey of knowing God through Christ more and more. The psalmist said in Psalm 36:9 “For with THEE is the FOUNTAIN of life and in Your light, we see light”.
One thing we must know about our walk with God is that seasonal visitations of God are His own prerogative, but the depths and pace of our experiences and growth in Him is totally dependent on us. You can chose to either crawl, walk, jog, run or fly, all will be categorized as progress. There are depths in God that are yet to be explored. We are called into an experience of eternal life through personal knowledge of God (John 17:3). There are experiences and layers to the realizations of His life even while in this present body. However, there is a cost.
What is the difference between those who experience more of God (deeper, quicker and more productively) and those who don’t?
They have a currency! Isaiah 55:1-3 gives us an idea. Verses 1 and 2 again says:
“Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto Me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.”
The call is made, not to everyone, but to everyone that is thirsty. Question: Have you ever been really thirsty after a workout or on a very hot day? It is a more extreme feeling than hunger for solid food. It is said that man can survive longer while hungry than when thirsty for water. It’s a desperate feeling. It is either water or nothing. Spiritual thirst (or hunger as it is popularly called) is a currency in the Kingdom. It creates a pathway of new possibilities for you within the possibilities that are already available in Christ. Spiritual thirst is even more potent when it is coupled with faith and diligence (as Hebrews 11:6 reveals). Faith and spiritual thirst/hunger are high value currencies for more of God in His Kingdom.
Secondly, God (in Isaiah 55:1-2, quoted above) explains that this thirst is more important than physical money, as only the thirst can be used to obtain His treasures in this case and not money (Acts 8:20 confirms this). He says “… come buy WITHOUT money …”. Your thirst is valuable currency when mixed with faith and focused on the right thing.
Sometimes the problem is not always a lack of thirst but misplaced priority of what really matters, leading to an overshadowed true inner longing for God. Many believers are consumed with the cares of life hence giving little to no expression for the nudging of the Christ inviting them to “come” and walk on water like Peter. Many have drowned themselves in passions of the flesh that can only yield pleasures for a short time (Hebrews 11:25). Many have sold themselves for little when they could be more in God. The reason is a lack or shortage of this currency. But “With HIM is the fountain of life … ” (Psalm 36:9). He is very definition of depth. We are better off further in Him than static in a position. Each advancement is a glorious and better experience of Him (Proverbs 4:18). The currency for this movement is faith mingled with spiritual thirst/hunger.
This was the secret of men like Enoch, Moses, David, Paul etc. David said in Psalm 63:1-2, O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee: my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.
David desperately longed for the power and glory of God. This was his thirst, and by faith he sought the Lord. He was not lacking in this currency and as a result God’s power and glory were not lacking in his life. What are you desperate for? A Job, marriage, networking, children, accolades? These are not bad desires but there’s more to your existence. Don’t spend your money (your thirst) on that which does not satisfy. THERE IS MORE IN CHRIST! He is the fountain of life! There’s more glory, more power and more life! Hallelujah! You can long for many things but your principal obsession must be more of the man called Jesus: to grow in Him, His character, personal knowledge and experience of Him, His power and relevance in His agenda. It is on this wise that we press into Him as He is One to be desired.
An obsessive thirst backed by faith brings rewards in the now as He is a rewarder of those who DILIGENTLY SEEK Him and those who hunger for Him (Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 5:6). All business interactions between man and God are primarily carried out in the heart. Make sure you are not lacking in spiritual currency. Make sure your wallet is full if possible. Guard your thirst and never be lacking in desire and faith. This is how we buy more of Jesus.
Some important factors that make for sustained and renewed thirst/hunger for the Lord include: abiding in His presence, asking for fresh hunger and thirst, the right association and learning to cast your cares on Him.
Prayer for today:
Lord, I want more of You. I declare that You are my priority and number one pursuit. You are all that truly satisfies. I acknowledge that You have the ability to draw men to You. I ask Lord that You stir up a fresh hunger and thirst for You in my heart. I cast all my cares upon You that overcharge my heart and distract me. I receive grace to benefit from my local church and also to be a vessel that provokes my brethen to thirst more after You. As Philippians 3:10 says: “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death”; let this be my cry O Lord — to know You. Amen!
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