Isaiah 55:1-5
1 Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.
“… Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. …”
Since my return from Liberia in West Africa, one of the questions asked most has been, “What was the food like?” Not surprisingly, rice is the primary food eaten by most people – usually topped with some kind of sauce made with chicken or dried fish. Tasty, nutritious, and filling, the rice dishes along with fresh fruit such as bananas, pineapples, melons, and limes are the basis of a typical Liberian diet.
Eating what is good is a hallmark of a healthy person. The same is true metaphorically in terms of what is ingested by the heart, mind, and spirit. The prophet reminds us of that here in this passage. “Listen carefully to me,” Isaiah proclaims, “eat what is good.” In other words, take into yourself only that which will fortify your soul for the journey of life.
Unfortunately, many of us are eating “junk food” freely provided by social media, the internet, “news feeds”, and partisan pundits. Rather than feasting on the good news of the Scripture, the inspiring words of renowned authors, the concise and clear articles of good journalism, and the copy of those who covet facts and honest reporting, we consume the sugar-coated, easy-to-digest-but-of-no-nutritional-value blather that fills our phones, computers, and airwaves. Isaiah would be appalled.
“Listen carefully to me,” the prophet proclaims, “eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.” Good advice in an age when the question might well be, “What was your food like today?”
Prayer: Lord, you provide rich food which delights the heart, mind, and spirit. Turn me away from the junk food of today toward the Good Eats that You have provided since time began. Amen.