too easily pleased

This morning's reading in Isaiah 53-56 was absolutely beautiful.  Beginning with the prophetic description of our Savior and filled with hope, promise, redemption and invitation, this portion of Scripture reminds me of the glory and poetry of life with GOD.

Isaiah 55 begins like this:

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.

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, 

and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

There are many people who assume that submitting to Jesus means saying goodbye to pleasure in favor of a life filled with rules and stoicism.  But we who know Jesus have experienced that God invites us to a life of freedom to truly live!  In Christ we realize our purpose, we commune with our Creator, and our souls feast on the presence of GOD.  We find joy that transcends our circumstances and discover the true satisfaction of doing what we are created to do- bring glory to our God and Maker.

As C.S. Lewis wrote:  "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.  We are far too easily pleased."

God's words in Isaiah this morning stretched me, enlarging my imagination and desires and reminding me not to sin by settling for less than what God offers me.  Oh Lord, let me not be pleased by anything less than YOU!