Good morning: One day every summer the local A&W restaurant offers free root beer floats. It sounds great. Who wouldn’t take them up on the offer? But I discovered it wasn’t quite as wonderful as advertised. There were restrictions. The free float was only a modest size and was only offered certain hours for as long as supplies lasted. That’s not unusual. Most “free” offers come with strings attached. So what about God’s offer: “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”? (Is. 55:1). Is this spiritual feast actually free or are there strings attached? Is it for everyone or is it a limited time offer for a select few? If it’s free, can it really be worth that much? Human nature is skeptical. It reasons that nothing of value comes free. A person must have to earn God’s blessings, at least to some degree. If I try to be decent toward others, read my Bible, and pray, then I qualify for the feast of salvation. If others see me as good, God must too. If it’s worth something, it can’t possibly be free for just anyone. The reality, though, is that before God no one is good. “The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God….All have turned aside….there is no one who does good, not even one” (Ps. 14:2-3). An entire feast free of charge, not just one root beer float, would be amazing anytime, but to someone who has nothing, it’s a life-saver! To sinners who have nothing at all to offer God, the feast of the gospel gives new life to our starving, thirsty souls. And when God extends the invitation to all humankind, it’s so incredible that no one would ever believe it without the Spirit working in their heart. What could be better than to begin the weekend by having the Lord assure our hungry, thirsty souls that all our missteps, stumbles, and blunders into sin of the past week have been taken care of by the blood Jesus shed on the cross? What a refreshing, invigorating drink for our spiritual health when Jesus says, “The water I give will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (Jn. 4:14). Take time today to savor the feast of the Word in your personal and family devotions as we look forward to sitting down to the free feast of salvation tomorrow in the Lord’s house. In Christ, Pastor Service times are the usual 8:00 and 10:45 a.m. The children will sing at the beginning of second service. Choir is at 9:10 and Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. Adult Bible class meets at 9:45 a.m. The public school confirmation class meets at 12:15 p.m. Remember to set your clocks ahead one hour tonight for DST.
