English (United States) 
"The Invitation" - Meditations of Lent
Isaiah 55:1-2
“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.
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..."
Come… come… come… come…
Like a street-seller, Isaiah raises his voice to cut through the noise. The world is full of propositions, all clamoring for our attention. Every advertisement we see promises satisfaction. But Isaiah’s promise is of eternal satisfaction. The invitation goes to all nations, but many turn away. We opt for alternatives. We seek fulfillment in careers, possessions, health, relationships. They are all good, but poor substitutes for God.
What does God require? That you come. What’s offered is beyond price; yet no price is demanded because it has been paid.